Food production is one of the most important industries in the world. Thanks to the tireless efforts of factory workers, logistics companies, and the shops that they deliver to, we have endless supplies of food available whenever we need it.
However, if all of these food items had plain packaging, our weekly food shop would be a lot more complicated. This week we’re going to talk about how important food production labelling is, what these labels should contain, and which machines are right for the job.
What are Food Labels?
Food labels are usually made of paper and plastic and are found on almost all widely produced foods. The only foods that don’t have labels is fruit and vegetables, which aren’t scanned at checkout, and either have a code attached or are priced based on weight.
The level of adhesion on these labels varies. For perishable food in tough plastic packaging, such as meat, the labels are stuck on securely but can still be peeled off to reveal more information or cooking instructions.
On bottles and cans the labels are easier to remove, which helps with recycling.
Others have their relevant information directly printed on the packaging, keeping everything together in one location without missing out any details. Speaking of which…
What Information is Required on Food Labels?
Every food label contains a lot of information, so let’s break them down into categories.
First, consumer information. This is the largest and most important section of any label, which is why we can break it down even further. It should contain:
Ingredients
- Allergens
- Calorie/Sugar/Fat/Salt Content
- Additives
- Origin
- Best Before Dates
- Storage Guide
- Cooking Instructions
All of this information is required by law, and there are stringent guidelines about the layout and clarity of these details that must be followed by all food manufacturers.
There is also information that isn’t always a requirement, but is still beneficial for the consumer, such as recipes and what type of lifestyle the products suit (such as being a healthier option than other major brands).
This is a lot to put on every label, especially if the food item is small. Unfortunately there are no ways to cut corners, so a smaller print is the only option.
When designing your labels, you should consider how it will look on your product. Will its shape affect how well the label can be read? Is the most important information front and centre? Is the layout correct?
Even when you have all of this information included, there are still more things to consider.
Batch Marking on Food Labels
Every food item’s label in a shop or supermarket has marking for their staff.
Batch marking is a code that can be used to identify food products easily. If one or more products need to be recalled, this ensures that retailers can remove all products quickly or prevent them from reaching store shelves without checking each product.
This is often printed onto the packaging directly, not the label.
Branding on Food Labels
The labels on food packaging aren’t purely for necessary information either. To improve sales, your brand needs to be all over your label.
On a packed store shelf, bright colours and clear text are both needed if you want to stand out. But your labels can do much more than just look good. If you use a quality labelling machine, you can attach holograms, ink tipping, or other special effects to your labels, which prevents counterfeiting.
This ensures that your rivals can’t copy your design to steal your sales, and your brand will be secure for years to come.
The Best Labelling Machines for Food Production
Labelling thousands of food products a day takes more than a standard printer. Specialised machines can be programmed to label any product, no matter its size or shape. These are almost always thermal printers, which do not need ink, and create bold images and clear text every time.
Designing your label can take time and needs to be rigorously checked before you begin producing them. Once you are positive your labels are correct, compliant, and will help to promote your brand, they can be easily programmed into your thermal printers so that the labelling process can begin.
However, when these machines are running at maximum capacity for hours per day, faults will develop over time. Even something small, like the labels not being adhesive enough, can cause a huge issue and bring your production line to a halt while you address it. An unexpected fault costs you money, which is why keeping your labelling machines in perfect working order is crucial for success.
Don’t worry, that’s where we come in.
Labelling Machine Repair and Maintenance
When it comes to labelling machines for food production, we know our stuff. This is one of the biggest industries we work with, and we’ve helped hundreds of clients to keep their machines up and running for decades now.
No matter which machine you use, our label machine maintenance team can help fix it. We work with all leading brands, and plenty of the more obscure ones too, so taking it apart, finding the issue, and fixing it is a breeze.
Often new parts are needed, but we won’t keep you waiting long. We have an extensive supply of new parts and peripherals for all labelling machines and printers.
To prevent these faults developing in the first place, we also have regular maintenance plans. We’ll work with you to choose a time to inspect your machines, one that has minimal interruption to your operation. Then we can take the machine apart, check for any wear and tear, and inform you about any concerns we have – before they affect production. We’ll even give your machine a thorough clean to increase its longevity!
If you have any questions about labelling machines and their role within the food production industry, please get in touch. And if you have a machine that needs a service, we hope to hear from you soon!