Colour lacquer
A transparent tinted lacquer (gold, red, blue, green and so on) lets the metallic shine show through. Lacquer also protects the foil surface and must be formulated for direct food contact on the inner face.
Confectionery packaging foil
Chocolate Aluminium Foil (8 – 15 µm, Colour Coated)
Chocolate foil is soft, fully annealed aluminium foil, usually 8011, 1235 or 8079 in O temper and 8 – 15 µm thick, that is lacquered, printed or embossed and wrapped directly around chocolates, pralines and seasonal figures. It holds a fold without springing back, blocks light, moisture and odours, and gives the bright metallic look that confectionery brands rely on. Metline supplies chocolate foil in reels to converters and confectioners worldwide.
- Alloys
- 8011, 1235, 8079
- Temper
- O (fully soft)
- Thickness
- 8 – 15 µm
- Width
- 100 – 1700 mm reels
Why chocolate is wrapped in aluminium foil
Chocolate is sensitive to light, moisture, oxygen and foreign odours. Fat bloom, flavour loss and tainting from nearby products all shorten shelf life. A continuous aluminium layer is a near-total barrier to all of them, even at a thickness of around 10 µm.
Foil also has a property paper and plastic film lack: dead fold. Soft O-temper foil stays exactly where it is pressed, so it can be twist-wrapped around a praline, folded tightly around a bar or pressed onto a hollow figure without adhesive. That is why high-speed fold and twist wrapping machines are set up around foil, and why foil remains the default for Easter eggs, coins, Santas and individually wrapped chocolates.
Plain foil is often used under a paper band on bars, while coloured, printed or embossed foil is used as the visible outer wrap on pralines and seasonal products.
Chocolate foil specification
Typical supply range
- Alloy
- 8011, 1235 or 8079 (EN AW-8011A, EN AW-1235, EN AW-8079)
- Temper
- O, fully annealed for dead fold and clean surface
- Thickness
- 8 – 15 µm; 10 – 12 µm is the most common for wrapping pralines and figures
- Width
- 100 – 1700 mm, slit to the wrapping machine reel width
- Core
- Steel, aluminium or paper cores, commonly 76 mm or 152 mm internal diameter
- Colour
- Plain, single-colour lacquer over the full surface, or printed (logo, patterns) in one or more colours
- Embossing
- Neutral patterns (dots, linen, orange peel, grid) or a customer logo
- Reel size
- Outer diameter and length to suit the wrapping machine
Which alloy? 1235 is a high-purity (99.35 % Al minimum) alloy that gives very good dead fold and a bright surface. 8011 and 8079 contain more iron and silicon, which raises strength and reduces pinholes at thin gauges, helping the foil survive high-speed wrapping. Many converters choose 8079 for the thinnest gauges, 8011 as the general-purpose grade and 1235 where maximum softness and brightness matter.
Colour lacquers, printing and embossing
Printing
Gravure or flexo printing applies logos, seasonal designs or registered artwork. Printed foil needs register marks matched to the wrapping machine’s cut length.
Embossing
Patterns rolled into the foil hide small creases, improve grip on wrapping machines and add texture. Logo embossing is used for premium lines.
Heat-seal coating
An optional coating on one face allows sealing to paper bands or to itself for flow-wrap and lidding styles.
Paper lamination
Foil laminated to thin paper gives a stiffer wrap for bars and tablets and a printable paper face.
Plain bright
Uncoated foil with one bright and one matt side, the most economical option for inner wraps.
Quality points that matter on the wrapping line
| Property | Why it matters | What to ask for |
|---|---|---|
| Thickness tolerance | Variations change wrap tension and appearance | Average and local tolerance per EN 546-3 or as agreed |
| Pinholes | Unavoidable at very thin gauges; affect barrier and visual quality | Pinhole limit per m² for the gauge |
| Wettability and cleanliness | Residual rolling oil affects lacquer adhesion and odour | Surface cleanliness test result, odour-free foil |
| Lacquer adhesion and colour | Colour must match from reel to reel and not rub off | Colour standard, ΔE tolerance, rub test |
| Dead fold | Foil must stay in place after twist or fold wrapping | O temper with confirmed elongation |
| Reel quality | Telescoping, loose winding or too many joints stop machines | Maximum joints per reel, end-face flatness, core size |
Ask the supplier to run a sample reel on your wrapping machine before a full order. Machine speed, twist angle and ambient humidity all affect how a particular foil behaves, and a short trial avoids surprises.
Food contact compliance
Bare aluminium foil for food contact is controlled by composition limits, and coatings and inks by their own migration rules. In Europe the framework is Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004, with EN 602 setting the composition of aluminium for food-contact use; in the United States, coatings fall under FDA 21 CFR, for example 175.300 for resinous and polymeric coatings. For chocolate, the inner face is usually plain foil or a food-contact lacquer, and inks are applied to the outer face only.
When ordering, specify the market where the chocolate will be sold so the supplier can provide the appropriate declaration of compliance for the foil, lacquer and inks.
Typical uses of chocolate and confectionery foil
- Twist-wrapped and fold-wrapped pralines, truffles and bonbons
- Hollow seasonal figures: eggs, rabbits, Santas and bells
- Chocolate coins and medallions, often embossed
- Inner wraps under paper bands on bars and tablets
- Wrapped sweets, nougat, toffee and fudge
- Tea, specialty sugar and baked confectionery that needs a light and aroma barrier
References and standards
- EN 546 (parts 1–4) – Aluminium and aluminium alloys: foil
- EN 602 – Aluminium and aluminium alloys: wrought products, chemical composition of semi-products used for food contact
- Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 on materials and articles intended to come into contact with food
- ASTM B479 – Standard Specification for Annealed Aluminum and Aluminum-Alloy Foil for Flexible Barrier, Food Contact and Other Applications
- European Aluminium Foil Association – Confectionery packaging
Chocolate foil: frequently asked questions
What thickness of foil is used for wrapping chocolate?
Most chocolate foil is 8 – 15 µm. Around 10 – 12 µm is typical for pralines and hollow figures; thicker gauges are used for coins and embossed foils that need extra body.
Which aluminium alloy is best for chocolate foil?
8011 is the general-purpose choice, 8079 suits the thinnest gauges where strength and low pinholes matter, and 1235 gives maximum softness and brightness. All are supplied in fully annealed O temper.
Is coloured chocolate foil safe for food contact?
Yes, provided the lacquer on the food-contact side is formulated and declared for direct food contact, and inks are on the outside. Ask for a declaration of compliance for your market.
Can you supply printed or logo-embossed chocolate (aluminum) foil?
Yes. Send your artwork or logo, colour references and repeat length; printed and logo-embossed foil is produced to order on reels sized for your wrapping machine.
Why does chocolate foil have a shiny side and a matt side?
At thin gauges two foils are rolled together in the final pass. The faces in contact with the polished rolls come out bright and the faces in contact with each other come out matt. Both sides perform the same.
Need chocolate foil reels?
Tell us the alloy, gauge, width, colour or print and reel size, and our team will reply with options and a delivered price.
