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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-05-13</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <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></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>THOROFARE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NJ</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>08086</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>2016-05-13</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>209164</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Pursuant to that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger dated March 1, 2016 (the &quot;Merger Agreement&quot;) by and among the Issuer, CCL Industries Inc. (&quot;CCL&quot;) and a wholly-owned subsidiary of CCL, the Issuer became an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of CCL upon consummation of the merger (the &quot;Effective Time&quot;).  The aggregate holdings of 209,164 shares of common stock were disposed at the Effective Time for the following merger consideration: (a)  107,072 shares of common stock.  At the Effective Time, each such share of common stock was disposed of in exchange for $10.15 (or the &quot;Merger Consideration&quot;) in cash. (b)  11,864 shares of unvested restricted stock units (&quot;RSUs&quot;).  At the Effective Time, each RSU (whether vested or unvested) was canceled in exchange for a cash amount equal to the product of (x) $10.15 and (y) the number of shares covered by such RSU, subject to all applicable withholding taxes.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">(Continued from footnote 1) (c) 90,228 shares of common stock acquired under various deferred compensation plans. It includes shares of common stock accrued pursuant to a matching provision under such plan.  At the Effective Time, each deferred share was converted into a cash balance amount determined by multiplying the number of deferred shares outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time by $10.15, rounded up to the nearest whole cent.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>Exhibit List:  Exhibit 24 - Power of Attorney</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Bryan Rowland, attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-05-13</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
