<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2012-06-22</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2013-01-02</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000215419</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CHECKPOINT SYSTEMS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CKP</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001101331</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ANTLE WILLIAM S III</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>101 WOLF DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>THOROFARE, NJ 08086</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity></rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState></rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>101 Wolf D</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-06-22</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4506</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>8.22</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>123873</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">All shares acquired under the Director's Deferred Compensation Plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Director has elected to defer receipt of RSUs until termination of service as a director or some other later date.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">This amendment is made to correct the amount of shares acquired that has been erroneously reported as 7,084 shares.  The correct amount of shares acquired is 4,506.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The Form 4 filed by the Reporting Person on June 26, 2012, incorrectly stated that the Reporting Person beneficially owned 133,264 shares following the reported transaction, when the Reporting Person actually beneficially owned 123,873 shares.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Carol Welch p/o/a William S. Antle, III</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2013-01-02</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
