FOR:      Checkpoint Systems, Inc. 
                                 COMPANY CONTACT:
                                             Steven G. Selfridge
                                             Chief Operating Officer 
                                             (609)  384-2473
                                             Jeffrey A. Reinhold
                                             Chief Financial Officer 
                                             (609)  384-2457

                                 INVESTOR CONTACTS:
                                             Donna Stein/Stephanie 
                                             Conzelman/Cindy Reid 
                                             Morgen-Walke Associates, Inc.
                                             (212)  850-5600

                                 PRESS CONTACTS:  
                                             Scott Sunshine/ Claudia Moscarella
                                             Morgen-Walke Associates, Inc.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	(212) 850-5600

      CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS, INC. COMMENTS ON PRELIMINARY 
   FOURTH QUARTER AND YEAR END RESULTS AND NEW CONTRACTS; 
    ANNOUNCES NEW $100 MILLION UNSECURED CREDIT FACILITY

    THOROFARE, NJ, January 29, 1998 - Checkpoint Systems, Inc., (NYSE:CKP)
today commented on its preliminary results for the fourth quarter and year
ended December 28, 1997, reported on significant new contracts and
announced that it has closed a new $100 million unsecured credit facility.
Checkpoint expects to report record revenues for the fourth quarter period,
in the range of $96 million to $98 million, up approximately 29% from the
prior year.  For the year ended December 28, 1997,  the Company expects to
report revenues in the range of  $334 million to $336 million, an
approximate increase of 15%.  Net income in the fourth quarter of 1997,
before pre-tax restructuring and one time special charges of approximately
$17.1 million, will be in the range of  $6.6 million to $7.1 million, or
$.19 to $.21 per share.  For the year ended December 28, 1997, the Company
expects to report net income and earnings per share, before restructuring
and non-recurring charges, in the range of $20.1 million to $20.6 million,
or $.57 to $.59 per share.                                   


    With the objective of positioning the Company for future efficiencies and
profit improvement, the Company will incur approximately $9 million in
pre-tax restructuring charges and $8.1 million in pre-tax one time special
charges.  The impact of these charges will be approximately $.36 per share
on an after tax basis.  These charges are principally related to
severance, lease terminations, expansion  of  new manufacturing
facilities, termination of master reseller agreements, consolidation of
research and development activities and marketing investments.   

    Kevin P. Dowd, the Company's President and Chief Executive Officer stated,
"1997 has been an important growth year for Checkpoint as we advanced our
penetration of the worldwide security market.  We believe that we are well
positioned for the future growth of our business and expect to secure many
new contracts worldwide in 1998.  Checkpoint's wide range of system options
and design flexibility allows us to effectively accommodate the needs of
retailers around the globe".

    Dowd further stated, "during the fourth quarter we completed the
installation of  48 Continente hypermarkets in Spain, displacing magnetic
technology. This represents over 3,000 checkout aisles, with a retail
organization that is one of Spain's largest.  Also during the fourth
quarter, we were awarded the balance of B&Q home improvement stores in
England, giving us a chainwide installation of 276 B&Q stores.  We also enter
1998 with a significant add-on contract with Winn Dixie, the nation's fifth
largest supermarket chain,  for installation of systems under the Company's
Comprehensive Tag Program in additional locations in the Orlando, FL; Miami,
FL; Raleigh, NC and Atlanta, GA, New Orleans, LA; and Louisville, KY
metropolitan areas, bringing the total number of sites to 589, representing
approximately 50% of the Winn Dixie chain.  Also, in Australia, where we now
dominant the market, we have been selected to provide chain-wide installations
at over 550 sites, valued at more than $12 million with Coles Myer and
their Coles Supermarket, K-Mart , Target, Myers, Officeworks, and Liquorland
divisions. We enter 1998 very optimistic about the potential of our business",
stated Dowd.

     In addition, the Company also announced that it has closed a new $100
million unsecured credit facility with a consortium of five banks led by First
Union National Bank.  "We are very pleased to receive this new facility, which
clearly exemplifies First Union's confidence in Checkpoint, and our future
growth potential.  We look forward to a long relationship with First Union
and the entire bank syndicate", Dowd concluded.

Checkpoint Systems, Inc. is a leading provider of integrated security
solutions for retailers worldwide, and is the leading provider of radio
frequency (RF) source tagging, which allows its paper-thin RF tags to be
embedded into product packaging.  More than 330,000 Checkpoint RF EAS systems
are installed worldwide. Checkpoint Systems, Inc. website is located at
www.checkpointsystems.com.