Labeling Innovations from Weber

One of the hot trends we discovered at the Dairy Deli Bake trade show was many brands are offering multiple flavors for their products. This included:

• Limited Edition Flavors
• Seasonal Flavors
• Experimental Flavors

Let's say you have a business that specializes in jams and sauces. You might want a special holiday jam or to test a new flavor combination for your hot sauce line.

The more flavors you can offer, the bigger your potential customer base. But this can also lead to some packaging challenges.

If you want to use the same label size and label art for every flavor, you can simply have labels preprinted and then later imprint the variable information, such as ingredients or nutrition fact, on-site using a Zebra or Datamax thermal-transfer label printer.

Labels are the perfect medium for informing consumers about the nutrition and ingredients in packaged food but they can also be the best place to share your story and connect with a consumer.

Here are a couple of ways that you can share your story with consumers, from the farmer's market to grocery store shelves:

Reach out with QR Codes

QR codes work well on labels because consumers can connect with your brand at the store or even later after the purchase.

Scanning the code can direct the consumer to your company's website or a social media page where they can continue to connect with your brand by getting more information, coupons, special deals or other content that helps build a relationship.

Share your biography

Include a short story or summary on your prime label about the growers or producers of the food. Including a picture of the farmer or the farm also adds a personalized touch to the product's label.

In the example below, not only does the label include a picture of the farmer, but they also included a biography about their brand. This jar label will definitely sticks out at the farmer's market or the shelves of the grocery store.

Big changes are coming for regulated chemical labels.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) officially adopted a ruling that changes its Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) to match the guidelines of the Globally Harmonized System (GHS).

This new labeling system sets out to reduce confusion, create a standard process and educate users.

Current Compliant Labels

In 1994, OSHA mandated that containers with hazardous chemicals must be labeled with a product identifier and hazard statements appropriate for each hazardous chemical.

For years Weber customers were able to use blank thermal-transfer labels or direct-thermal labels to print this product and hazard information.

Other companies ordered pre-printed color labels using the Hazardous Materials Identification System (HMIS) boxes and then imprinted specific safety information on-site. They were able to variably-imprint their individual products' Health, Flammability, Reactivity and Personal Protection ratings.

But starting in 2015, those elements alone will no longer be compliant with OSHA. Manufacturers will be able to continue to use the HMIS information on their labels, but they also will be required to include more specific elements that are in the GHS guidelines.

by Mike Soloway
Weber Labeling Systems Manager

Not long ago we introduced the Epson SecurColor™ printer, a compact, on-demand unit that provides high-quality, color inkjet printing on a wide variety of pressure-sensitive labels and tags.

It’s the first color printer we’ve ever offered – and it’s a nice little unit. It handles labels up to 4.4” wide and operates at selectable print resolutions of 180, 360 and 720 dpi. And it zips along at up to 3.7” per second.

It’s really simple to format your labels on a PC, then print them from a PDF or JPEG file. And the color images come out really great.

Here’s a video demo that explains everything. You can even purchase the Epson SecurColor™ directly on our Go-Label website.

If you're looking to print color labels to comply with GHS requirements, download our Guide to GHS Labeling ebook and learn about other EPSON label printers and materials that work best for this specific type of chemical labeling. 

We heard you....so now you can!