Label printing for the food industry holds a unique set of responsibilities. Food labels have the ability to drive consumer choices, whether those are smart choices or not. With everything going “organic” that’s the first thing consumers are looking for on the packaging. It could be the same exact products but the pretty label gets the buy. FDA consumer research has shown that using front of package (FOP) labeling, like “Smart Choices” nutrition symbols affect consumer behavior. In this case, consumers are less likely to check back or side label Nutrition Facts when the FOP symbols are present.
Label printing and design for the food industry, then, has some unique societal implications. We’ve come a long way from the subliminal messages telling us to run to the concession stand and buy popcorn during the movies. How are we making sure that our food labels are ‘truthful’ in their claims, especially those that are front of the label? Don’t get me wrong, I love a good hit of sugar. I just want to make sure we’re printing labels that are honest in their proclamations. As people involved in the industry, let’s be sure we’re getting our products to sell in an honest way.
If you’re printing food labels for your products, we’d be happy to help. We create custom labels for all sorts of products and know the ins and outs of label design. Feel free to reach out to us to learn more and to get your project printed!