Abstract Polygraphic varnishes are widely used in the production of food packagings. Currently, free radical cured varnishes are most widespread. The presented results prove that: - the photoinitiator concentration required to obtain cured varnish layer of good physical properties depends on the type of packaging material as varnish support. - the type of packaging material is strongly responsible for the migration degree of the photoinitiator to packed food products. - there is no relation between the roughness of packaging material surface and the surface roughness of varnish layer formed on it. The conclusions follow from the experiments performed on paper, polyethylene and aluminum packaging materials coated by polyacrylate varnishes containing 4-phenylbenzophenone as polymerization photoinitiator.