Attractive label designs draw attention to your product. However, a consumer’s decision to buy a product may change if they don’t find the information they are looking for on the label. Food labels are crucial in the fiercely competitive food industry with strict legal requirements and consumers who increasingly want to know what they eat. Here are some reasons why labeling your food products is important:
- You meet legal requirements: Health Canada regulates the labeling of food products according to the Food and Drugs Act in Canada. Nutrition labeling, for example, is mandatory on most prepackaged foods as is the ingredients list. These regulations are made so that customers can make informed decisions on their purchases.
- Customers Understand What Goes into the Product: The ingredients list mentions the ingredients in your products in descending order of weight. It may also include the quantity of each ingredient as a percentage. For example, your packaged chicken burger patties may constitute 75% minced chicken.
- Consumers Understand Nutrient Intake: The nutrition table provides information on the number of calories and 13 nutrients, including fat, sodium, and fiber. The table also includes a % Daily Value (% DV) column that indicates how much of the daily recommended intake of each nutrient is present in one serving of the food.
- Allergens Can Be Avoided: Any allergen advice is typically clearly printed on labels to help consumers avoid ingredients they are allergic to.
- Products Are Used Before They Go Bad: Date labeling indicates how long the product will last and may be noted as “best-before,” “packaged on” or “expiration” dates.
- Food Products are Treated with Care: Buyers understand how to store your products safely and how they should be cooked (or not!) before consuming.
The Clean Labeling Trend Every Food Manufacturer Should Know About
It’s easy to get carried away with your label design and miss including information that consumers want to see on their food labels. More and more people want to know what they are putting into their systems and that they are making healthy choices. Cleaning labeling helps them do just that. Clean labeling is a consumer-driven initiative that encourages food manufacturers to create products with easy-to-understand labels, listing natural ingredients and minimal artificial additives. Here are a few tips to consider while creating your clean food label.
- Clear Product Name: The product name should be clear and concise. The name should represent the product in such a way that it is not misleading. For example, if the product is a fruit juice, the name should clearly indicate the type of fruit used in the juice.
- Easy to Understand Ingredients: Customers want to understand what they are eating. Use simpler names for ingredients if possible. For example, Vitamin C is more likely to be recognized than ascorbic acid.
- Highlight Sustainability and Ethical Sourcing: Highlight any sustainable initiatives (like your packaging materials, for example) or ethical sourcing of your products (for example, free-range chicken).
- ‘Free From’: Customers want to know if your products are free from artificial flavourings or colouring. Make a big deal about it on your label. Use symbols to indicate if your product is gluten free, dairy free or is vegan.
- Explain Any Health Benefits: Let customers know how your product can help them meet their nutritional needs. Statements you can use include ‘no added sugar’, ‘low salt’, etc.
- Display Certifications: Does your product contain Fairtrade ingredients? Or are your products certified by the Rainforest Alliance? Then say so on the label.
The Process of Labeling Matters Too
As a producer of goods, it’s important to consider more than just the food label and its design like the actual printing of labels and how your labels will be attached to your product packaging. You also need to decide how much surface area of your packaging you want your labels to cover. For example, the size, design, and shape of a label on a tube will be completely different from one you have on a pouch. Finally, you want your labels to last whether your products are stored inside or outside, in cold, wet, or hot conditions. This will help determine the materials used to make your labels and the type of adhesive you need.
Automatic Labeling Equipment from Accent Label Automation
You want the entire labeling process to be smooth and efficient without having to spend hours training staff. An automated labeling system can do the trick! Contact Accent Label Automation today to learn how we can help.