How much does a paper shredding service cost?

If you’ve worked in an office you’ve probably enjoyed the fun of putting paper through the shredder. But if it’s more than just a few sheets you might be looking to shred boxes of confidential paperwork.

In this guide we look at the average paper shredding service cost in the UK. Most commonly used by businesses, paper shredding services are also useful if you’re clearing out your house and have a large amount of old bank statements or other sensitive papers piled up.

How much does paper shredding cost?

The cost of a paper shredding service varies across the country, and depending on the quantity and frequency of the shredding you need. Some companies will charge based on the volume of shredding to be done and others on the time it takes.

Paper shredding prices will also depend on whether you need the service to be done on-site or whether it’s collection-based to be shredded off-site.

Factors affecting the cost of paper shredding

There are a number of factors that can affect the cost of paper shredding services, including:

• Quantity of paper to be shredded
• Number of sacks you need
• Where you want the paper to be shredded (on-site or offsite)
• How regularly you want paper shredding
• The time it takes to shred all the paper
• Whether you opt collection or dropoff (for off-site shredding)

It’s worth noting that some paper shredding companies will offer discounts on large amounts of shredding, as well as a commitment to a regular paper shredding contract. We recommend discussing your paper shredding needs with local specialists to negotiate the best deal for your needs.

Paper shredding prices

For on-site paper shredding, the average cost is about £125 per hour. That means the paper shredding company will come to your site, shred the paper and then take away the shreddings to dispose of.

The cost of collection-based paper shredding services tend to vary based on a regular vs ad hoc basis. For ad hoc paper shredding the average price starts from £50 per collection. For a regular paper shredding service there is usually a slight discount, and the cost starts from about £45 per collection.

These collections will be limited to a certain number of boxes or sacks. To get a quote for the paper shredding cost per box or sack, you’ll need to speak to your local paper shredding specialists.

If you have a smaller amount to shred you might want to organise paper shredding per sack, average prices range from £12.50 to £26 per sack.

What does the price of paper shredding include?

Different paper shredding companies will include different services within the prices they quote, and many offer different levels of service based on the cost.

Here are some of the common items usually covered by a paper shredding cost:

• Delivery of sacks (though there may be an extra charge for the sacks themselves)
• Collection of sacks (if shredding is done off-site)
• Online barcode tracking
• Shredding of all paper contents
• Recycling the paper
• Sending your certificate by email

Some local paper shredding companies will charge an additional cost for national services of shredding outside of their immediate area. The best way to find out what’s included is to ask for a detailed breakdown of all costs when you speak to your local paper shreddings firms.

Equally, if you want to know the paper shredding cost per pound or kilo, it’s best to speak to local specialists for their quotes.

Useful paper shredding checklist

• Evaluate how much paper you’ll need shredding and whether you’ll need it done regularly or on an ad hoc basis.
• Speak to your local paper shredding specialists for the professional advice and accurate quotes in your area.
• Shop around for fair and competitive costs of paper shredding services.
• Before hiring a paper shredding company, check their previous customer reviews and ratings to ensure the quality of the service they provide.