Focus on labels: retail products and household durables

Non-food retail products include ‘under-the-sink’ products for cleaning and disinfecting. Some of these are hazardous, and therefore require special warning labels. We also include all kinds of apparel and shoes. These account for the biggest volumes of labels, mostly fabric labels.

Also included in this category are most of the goods you will find in a hardware or do-it-yourself store, or in a sports goods retail outlet.

Household durables like washing/drying units may be labeled by the manufacturer and by the retailer, and (for some regions) must carry labels showing their energy efficiency. For some types of household durables, smart labels can provide extra functionalities and value added.

For all the various products in this category, a very wide range of labeling materials is used. For many of them, resistance to damp is important, so paper labels and certain adhesives may not be suitable; for clothes labels the requirements include a print method that can withstand repeated washing (often in very hot water) or dry-cleaning.

Other products (e.g. plants, garden equipment) may need highly durable labels able to resist exposure to rain or sun without fading or peeling off.

For all kinds of clothing, woven and care labels represent a huge market, as do swing tags. RFID labels are now becoming the standard way of controlling supply chains.

Most products in this category have low unit value and do not need complex anti-counterfeit measures. Among the exceptions are high-end luxury household goods, designer clothing, and shoes.

With ever-expanding variety of Stock-Keeping Units (SKUs) and shorter delivery times, digital printing is increasingly used, especially for flower and plant labels, but also for other label types where pre-launch runs need small numbers of labels.

Regulations and standards vary widely according to the type of product and the country/region in which it is to be sold. The following paragraphs give some of the more important directives and regulations affecting labels.

REGULATORY BACKGROUND: ENSURING PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY

Labeling regulations for non-food retail products vary greatly according to the type of product, but must in all cases give the quantity (in metric for Europe, in locally used measures for US and other markets), the composition or ingredients, and what it is to be used for. If the product is, or could be, dangerous, this must be stated as well. For many products in this category, pictogram labels are often used to highlight dangers or denote the materials used in making the product.

The European Union in particular aims to use the label to safeguard the health, safety and interests of consumers.

This policy promotes consumers’ rights to information and education, and their right to organize in order to defend their interests. These citizens’ rights have on several occasions been used to challenge labels and ads held to be inaccurate or illegal.

Different labeling rules apply to each category of hazardous or environmentally challenging product.

Detergents for example can contain ingredients - surfactants - that make them clean more efficiently but may damage water quality when released into the natural environment. As such, their use is carefully controlled, and labels on detergents must give details of recommended dosages for different washes in a standard washing machine.

The REACH legislation in Europe is a system for the registration, evaluation, authorization and restriction of chemicals. Specific labeling requirements apply to all such products which may harm the user, the general public or the environment.

The label must specify the following information:

• Name/address of supplier

• Name of the substance or mixture and/or identification number

• Nominal quantity of the products

• Hazard pictograms (graphic composition combining a symbol and another visual element)

• Signal words (‘Warning’ or ‘Danger’)

• Risk phrases (for example ‘Fire or projection hazard’, ‘Fatal if swallowed’)

• Safety advice (for example ‘Keep only in original container’, ‘Protect from moisture’, ‘Keep out of reach of children’).

In some cases, the law may require tamper-evident closures.

Note: the term ‘Ecolabel’ is used more and more. Ecolabels are not strictly speaking labels, but are certifications awarded in Europe to products and services which have a lower environmental impact than other products in the same group.

In the United States the Toxic Substances Control Act—TSCA and the Federal Hazardous Substances Act (FHSA) are the main regulatory instruments governing the composition and labeling of dangerous products. They are both administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Much overlap exists among these various US laws. Labeling requirements are if anything more exacting than their equivalents in Europe.

US hazardous labels must for example give an ingredient statement, use classification, precautionary labeling (warnings to consumers), work protection labeling, directions for use, labeling claims, storage and disposal instructions, identification numbers, company name and address data, graphic symbols on the product label, and content and net weight statements.

HOUSEHOLD CLEANING PRODUCTS

For many years domestic cleaning products had minimalist labels since once bought they were kept out of sight under a sink or in a bathroom cabinet. A trip to any supermarket shows this is no longer true. Most retailers sell their own brands of household products in competition with major brand owners like Unilever or Reckitt Benckiser, and eye-catching labels have become essential. Main label types are the following:

Wraparound

The wrap-around label is used frequently for low-margin, high-volume products like demineralized water. It is also to be found in supermarkets where the retailer offers a 'budget' line of household products. It may be paper (cheaper) or synthetic (better water-resistance).

Wet glue

Still a widely used labeling technology for household products, the wet glue label with its susceptibility to moisture and mold, is losing out to other methods. However, in common with the wraparound label it has the advantage of being inexpensive.

Self-adhesives

Self-adhesive labels account for over half of all household product labels. Improved moisture-resistant inks and varnishes have led to the use of paper as a face material in many cases, but the majority of self-adhesives have synthetic face materials which look better especially after prolonged use/storage in damp conditions.

The other reason for preferring synthetics is that most household products come in squeezable plastic containers: if the label is more rigid than the bottle, it quickly becomes wrinkled and unattractive. Traditionally, these squeezable labels were made from polyethylene; however, they can now be manufactured using a BOPP (biaxially oriented polypropylene) film which is conformable, squeezable and printable.

A gloss varnish can even be applied to guard against smudging and water damage. Innovia and Jindal are among the film producers specializing in these ‘squeezable’ films. All the leading labelstock producers, including Avery Dennison and UPM Raflatac, now also offer ‘squeezable’ face materials.

Sleeves

Sleeve labels, little used for these products five years ago, are now the preferred decoration for one in six of all household products. The reason is that many products are packed in irregularly shaped containers: some have a handle, others a thin neck or a nozzle.  A sleeve label covering the whole surface in 360 degrees gives maximum surface for graphics, ensuring that the product will always look attractive on the retailer’s shelf. The main types of film used for sleeve labels are mono-oriented PVC, PET, OPS, OPP and TPE films, and for household products the selection criteria are a high degree of shrinkability (to fit around very irregular containers), and resistance to shock and humidity.

With a thickness which can be as low as 3 microns, the shrink sleeve is economical on material. However, the printing (usually reverse gravure or digital), forming and application of sleeve labels means they are an expensive option. Shrink sleeve labels often come with a tamper-evident closure, however this does not seem to be widely used for household products.

Market leaders in the shrink label sector include Sleever International and CCL, both fully integrated companies providing not just the film but also the seaming equipment and the shrink tunnel.

In-Mold Labels (IML)

IML accounts for only two percent of the total volume of label printing worldwide, but the average growth rate is between three to five percent, with Europe accounting for nearly two thirds of total IML usage.

With the in-mold labeling process, a pre-printed (usually polypropylene) label is placed inside the mold before a plastic container is blown, injected or thermo-formed to produce a plastic bottle or tub. This process has been in use for many years, mainly for decorating high-volume dairy products. However today it is estimated that 20 percent of IMLs are used for under-the-sink household products.

The advantage for the brand owner is the 360 degrees of coverage that IML provides for promoting the product, and the security of knowing that the label cannot become detached from the product. For the final consumer the advantage is a re-closable and (even) re-fillable container with no risk of seepage either into or out of the contents. This is particularly important in countries where corrosive and toxic products like bleach are sold in plastic bottles which when empty can be refilled from sachets of concentrated product, such that the same plastic bottle can be refilled many times.

Direct print

Direct printing though perfectly feasible for plastic containers, is not much used for household products. However as recently as drupa 2016 Agfa unveiled new technologies for direct printing, aimed particularly at the food and home appliance sectors. Krones also, though mainly in the beverage filling/labeling business, is also developing digitally printed direct print technology. Direct printing is a potential threat to the growth of the label business.

PAINTS, VARNISHES AND WOOD STAINS

The particular challenge for these products is to ensure that the color swatch displayed on the label matches the contents of the pack. Label converters have traditionally achieved this by delivering one standardized label for each size of container, plus a roll of single color swatches for each color in the customer’s range of paints or stains. This leads to wastage, since the volume of paint sold in each color is unknown.

Also the result is not aesthetic and fails to stand out on the shelf. Several manufacturers have gone over to using digitally printed labels, which give a more professional finish to the product, and also reduce wastage as the labels can be ordered and the pails made up and delivered at very short notice. One French paint producer uses in-mold-labels (IML) protected by a UV varnish, on pails made of injection-molded polypropylene. The result is ‘appealing and attractive’ for the home decorator, but too costly a solution for professionals and artisans, as each color of paint and each size of pail has its individual IML label. For all products of this type, whatever the product decoration method adopted, color coordination is paramount.

Color Management Systems (software system used to ensure color consistency among different input and output devices so that printed results match originals) have gone a long way towards solving color coordination. Companies such as X-rite (part of the same group as Pantone) and GSE are just two of the many specialist suppliers offering color management systems to the label industry.

SPORTS GOODS AND OTHER LEISURE PRODUCTS

Even mass-market sports goods are frequently branded, and require labels which conform to legislation/language regulations in the country of destination, offer protection against product piracy, and yet are cheap. Where a textured finish is needed, heat transfer labels are being used for sports goods (as also for consumer durables). They offer excellent durability. Sports shoes, a mass product, suffer severely from product piracy.

While labeling mass-production sports items needs to be cost-conscious, equipment for professional sportsmen (or for those who emulate them) must meet exacting standards, and must be protected from counterfeiters. Wilson, a leading maker of ball sports equipment, is using an RFID-based labeling system to identify each carton shipped out of its factories.

Using printers/encoders supplied by Zebra, Wilson aims to achieve anti-counterfeit protection as well as track and trace capabilities for total asset visibility throughout its supply chain. When the new SAP system is complete, Wilson plans to integrate the RFID label data further into its operations so that it can encode additional information, such as ship-to address, SKU number and item quantity.

LABELS FOR LUXURY GOODS

A high unit price (e.g. for handbags or luxury items of clothing) attracts counterfeiters like flies around a jam pot. Labels have a major role to play in helping importers, retailers and consumers to establish authenticity (Figures 6.2 and 6.3).

To replace the QR code, secure identification specialists offer an item level unique ID label enabling anyone along the supply chain (including customs officials) to authenticate the product by means of a smartphone.

It will come as a surprise to most people that, measured by the number of customs seizures, shoes are the most smuggled product of all. A report by the World Customs Organization puts Nike in the unenviable top slot for the biggest number of counterfeit goods customs seizures, well ahead of Apple (second) and Rolex (third). Adidas occupied the fifth slot. Manufacturers of luxury footwear have resorted to electronic devices to bring this counterfeiting under control (see box).

For shoes of all qualities, as for many products in this category, pictograms are often used to denote the materials used in making the product. For footwear, pictograms on the label or tag are used to denote which parts of the shoe are in leather, and which in rubber or other material (for details on European requirements, see Directive 94/11/EC of the European Parliament). A voluntary EU eco-label also exists for footwear.

This label helps consumers identify footwear whose life-cycle (production, use and disposal) has a low environmental impact.

APPAREL LABELING (1) – WOVEN AND CARE LABELS

In volume terms the woven and/or care apparel label is among the biggest, globally. Almost every item of apparel contains at least one, usually several. Care labels are generally thermal printed in black, and are sewn or affixed in such a way as to be concealed. Woven labels are designed to be seen, and to enhance the value of the item of clothing, so are often colored to show a brand or logo, and made of cotton or satin. They can also be printed, and for this, digital printing is often used for short runs. They are also used for late-stage differentiation of colors (the label is dyed along with the article of clothing). Since all these labels may come into contact with the skin, they must not contain any irritants.

Suppliers such as Avery, in cooperation with major retailers, have for example planned to phase out completely adhesives containing the irritant alkylphenol ethoxylate (APE). Both woven and care labels have to be designed to last as long as the item of clothing itself, and to withstand repeated washing and dry-cleaning. A recent addition to this category is the printed transparent thermoplastic polyurethane label, which has a soft feel but withstands high temperatures and repeated washing.

APPAREL LABELING  –THE SWING TAG

Swing tags have two functions: either as logistics labels thanks to their QR or barcode, or as a selling aid for the retailer. Sometimes the swing tag function is transferred to a self-adhesive label, but for this the adhesive used must be chosen carefully so as to stick sufficiently to the fabric without spoiling it or leaving a trace when removed. As a logistics aid the swing tag label is generally one-color and is both machine and human-readable, giving type, size and country of origin.

Selling-aid swing tags, frequently affixed through a buttonhole, often display the retailer’s logo along with such information as ‘pure virgin wool’. They need to be designed for easy removal by the customer. In some countries these labels must also give information on the eco-friendliness (or otherwise) of the garment.

APPAREL LABELING – THE RFID EXPERIENCE

Item-level RFID tagging has not lived up to expectations when it was launched some 20 years ago. An end-user sector where it has flourished is apparel. In this context it is hard not to mention Marks & Spencer, the UK-based retailer generally known as M&S. Apparel accounts for just under half of M&S’ revenue, and the group controls its supply lines from the source factory right through to the customer.

Since 2014, all M&S clothing items have been RFID-tagged, using UHF (869,5 MHz) technology. Each item is tagged at the point of manufacture, and the tags follow the merchandize until it is sold to a customer. This offers the potential of visibility into the goods' movements throughout the supply chain, into a store's back room and onto the sales floor. It is particularly important in speeding inventory control, which is done using a hand-held reader (Figure 6.4).

However, not all apparel items benefit equally from RFID labeling. Typically, the categories that gain the most are items of clothing with many different sizes and colors, with high average selling prices and a long sales life. Experience has shown that for short-term fashion clothing it is preferable to use other forms of label.

Labelstock producers vie with each other in developing specific-use materials for different types of consumer durable. A visit to your local do-it-yourself store will provide any number of examples. UPM Raflatac for example has launched an extra-matte PET label face that meets demand for reliable barcode scanning on durable goods.

The matte surface minimizes light-scatter and directs more light back to barcode reader, increasing the effective contrast and the consistency of scanning.

Pre-printed information, such as tracking and unit information, is also protected for the lifetime of the label by a topcoat which is scratch, smudge and chemical resistant. Other white goods labels are tested to withstand temperatures up to 200 deg C and to use solvent-free adhesives that nonetheless bond strongly to stainless or galvanized surfaces.

SMART LABELS IN THE HOME AND GARDEN

Certain home appliances (for example, water filters) need regular maintenance or replacement of moving parts. To ensure these deadlines are not forgotten, elapsed time indicator labels can be used. Custom-calibrated for periods up to a year, these labels indicate by a visible sign (generally a color change) when a replacement is due. The labels are 'switched on' by finger pressure. Once activated, a color dye migrates along a display window, showing elapsed time in a range from a few days up to 12 months.

RFID labels in the home are increasingly used as sensors to measure light, temperature or humidity. The information is then fed back to a central control panel which either takes corrective action or warns the householder of an anomaly. This smart system is used for opening/closing shutters, regulating temperature room-by-room, or even deciding when to water the garden.

MEASURING THE RISK

For labeling of other home and garden care durables what is important is the risk associated with the product. Safety instructions labeled on a motor mower must be permanent, and impervious to humidity, oil, abrasions and grass-cuttings.

Ladders and stepladders, another high-risk article (in the US, 43 percent of fatal falls in the last decade have involved a ladder) are increasingly being sold with traceable, non-removable labels to enable defective products to be traced back to the manufacturer or importer. Labels for this type of product are mostly one-color, and frequently thermal-transfer printed. Where the manufacturers add their logo or publicity information they may be four-colored.

POINTS TO REMEMBER

• This sector accounts for about one in five of all labels

• Consumer health and safety can be assisted by suitable labels

• Regulations prescribe both ecological and safety stipulations for labels

• A wide variety of label types can be used for household or ‘under the counter’ products

• Paints, varnishes and sports goods have special labeling requirements

• Luxury goods are frequently protected by sophisticated anti-counterfeit labels, often using RFID

• Digital label printing has opened up new markets where low volumes and fast printing/delivery are needed

• Apparel labeling uses mostly woven and swing-tag labels. RFID labels are increasingly used to speed distribution and stock control

• Strict labeling regulations exist for consumer durables, and special face materials have been developed for labeling these products.