Published online by Cambridge University Press: 20 November 2018
Let   $K$  be a convex body in
 $K$  be a convex body in   ${{\mathbf{E}}^{d}}$  and denote by
 ${{\mathbf{E}}^{d}}$  and denote by   ${{C}_{n}}$  the set of centroids of
 ${{C}_{n}}$  the set of centroids of   $n$  non-overlapping translates of
 $n$  non-overlapping translates of   $K$ . For
 $K$ . For   $\varrho \,>\,0$ , assume that the parallel body conv
 $\varrho \,>\,0$ , assume that the parallel body conv   ${{C}_{n}}\,+\,\varrho K$  of conv
 ${{C}_{n}}\,+\,\varrho K$  of conv   ${{C}_{n}}$  has minimal volume. The notion of parametric density (see [21]) provides a bridge between finite and infinite packings (see [4] or [14]). It is known that there exists a maximal
 ${{C}_{n}}$  has minimal volume. The notion of parametric density (see [21]) provides a bridge between finite and infinite packings (see [4] or [14]). It is known that there exists a maximal   ${{\varrho }_{s}}(K)\,\ge \,1/(32{{d}^{2}})$  such that conv
 ${{\varrho }_{s}}(K)\,\ge \,1/(32{{d}^{2}})$  such that conv   ${{C}_{n}}$  is a segment for
 ${{C}_{n}}$  is a segment for   $\varrho \,<\,{{\varrho }_{s}}$  (see [5]). We prove the existence of a minimal
 $\varrho \,<\,{{\varrho }_{s}}$  (see [5]). We prove the existence of a minimal   ${{\varrho }_{c}}(K)\,\le \,d\,+\,1$  such that if
 ${{\varrho }_{c}}(K)\,\le \,d\,+\,1$  such that if   $\varrho \,>\,{{\varrho }_{c}}$  and
 $\varrho \,>\,{{\varrho }_{c}}$  and   $n$  is large then the shape of conv
 $n$  is large then the shape of conv   ${{C}_{n}}$  can not be too far from the shape of
 ${{C}_{n}}$  can not be too far from the shape of   $K$ . For
 $K$ . For   $d\,=\,2$ , we verify that
 $d\,=\,2$ , we verify that   ${{\varrho }_{s\,}}\,=\,{{\varrho }_{c}}$ . For
 ${{\varrho }_{s\,}}\,=\,{{\varrho }_{c}}$ . For   $d\,\ge \,3$ , we present the first example of a convex body with known
 $d\,\ge \,3$ , we present the first example of a convex body with known   ${{\varrho }_{s}}$  and
 ${{\varrho }_{s}}$  and   ${{\varrho }_{c}}$ ; namely, we have
 ${{\varrho }_{c}}$ ; namely, we have   ${{\varrho }_{s}}\,=\,{{\varrho }_{c}}\,=\,1$  for the parallelotope.
 ${{\varrho }_{s}}\,=\,{{\varrho }_{c}}\,=\,1$  for the parallelotope.