Party Packs Discount Codes July 2025

Throwing a party is no longer as simple as buying crisps, inflating a balloon or two, and hoping for a lull in the rain. Somewhere along the way - likely around the same time Pinterest became a cultural force - expectations shifted. Now, even a child’s birthday party can feel like staging a low-budget West End production. And for better or worse, there are entire online economies built to ease (or feed) that pressure.

One such example is Party Packs, a Somerset-based company that’s been catering to Britain’s party-planning public since 1986, back when the height of party tech was a helium canister and a Linda Lusardi cardboard cut-out. It now sells over 18,000 products online - from Harry Potter-themed goblets to cricket-themed banners - many of them exclusive. The vibe is equal parts charmingly British and relentlessly themed. You won’t find minimalist aesthetics here; this is maximalism with bunting.

Trusted, Cheap, Slightly Bewildering

Party Packs is by no means glamorous. The website functions more like a warehouse catalogue than a design-forward ecommerce site - but that’s actually part of the appeal. It’s not trying to be your Pinterest board. It’s trying to get you 24 gold foil balloons for under £5 and out the online door by teatime.

"People don’t want faff," says retail analyst Alice Conway. "They want scale, speed, and not to pay Etsy prices for something their kid is going to spill squash on." That’s essentially Party Packs’ sweet spot. Take their bestsellers: The £4.79 Cricket Bat, Ball and Wicket Banner (yes, that’s a thing) drops to £4.31 if you buy 10 or more. Functionally, it’s printed cardboard. But if your mate is obsessed with the Ashes, it does the job.

The company also offers some decent bulk pricing - buy 10+ of a product and you typically get 10% off or more. Not revolutionary, but welcome. Orders over £49 qualify for free delivery (standard, not express), which feels about right for a business that’s shipping 120cm banners and synthetic cowboy hats.

Not All Glitz Is Created Equal

A few newer products lean into milestone kitsch. The "Silver Glitz 100th Birthday Poster" (A3, £2.99) sits firmly in the genre of Things Your Nan Would Secretly Hate But Smile At Anyway. It’s not designer, but it’s printed cleanly and arrives on time - two things that can’t be said for many more style-conscious rivals.

Still, there are limits. The "Shiny Pink Cowboy Hat" (£3.98, or £3.59 in bulk) is one of those party items that make sense for roughly ten minutes before living out the rest of its life under a radiator. Quality-wise, it’s fine. But as one staffer put it: "It’ll survive a hen night, but not two."

No-Fuss, No Lattes

Unlike newer DTC brands, Party Packs makes almost no attempt to tell you a story about who you are or who you could be. There’s no origin myth about a mum frustrated by lacklustre balloons. There aren’t curated lifestyle photos involving dogs in hats and eucalyptus sprigs. There’s just a big search bar (across 18,000 SKUs) and a phone number that actually connects you to a human.

That straightforwardness doesn’t feel lazy; it feels earned. This is a business that’s stuck around for nearly 40 years. It’s supplied everything from village fetes to corporate away days. And it never forgot that a paper plate is just a paper plate, no matter how "on theme" it is.

Discounts Without Drama

There are NHS and student discounts available - though you’ll need to go through third-party platforms like Blue Light Card or Student Beans to access them. Voucher codes tend to be modest (think 5-10% off seasonal items), but stack nicely if you’re already buying in bulk. There’s also a "Quick Shop" tool, which is handy if you know exactly what you want and would rather not wade through 14 pages of balloon colours.

As for returns, the policy is 14 days - standard, if not generous. Don’t expect the full Amazon experience. This is a company that expects you to know what you’re buying. Or at least be okay with whatever shows up.

The Verdict

Party Packs isn’t revolutionary. It won’t change your life. But it will help you throw a party that doesn’t dissolve into panic-buying streamers at the petrol station. For niche events (VE Day 80th? Cricket-themed hen do?), it’s oddly well-stocked. For everything else, it's a reminder that sometimes, good enough really is good enough.

As one party organiser told us, "It’s the kind of place you go when you want helium but have no interest in a backstory." That, it turns out, is something worth celebrating.

What you need to know