In such a competitive business setting, labelling products plays a very important role in guaranteeing traceability, regulatory compliance, and customer satisfaction. Precise and clear labelling not only ensures that the products correctly reach consumers, but also protects the company’s reputation and avoids regulatory fines. However, labelling errors on products are more common than it might seem. They can have a significant negative impact on the production, distribution, and sales chain.
E2M COUTH knows that preventing labelling errors on products is crucial to maintain quality and safety in the industry. For this reason, we offer advanced label inspection and control solutions to detect and correct flaws before they become a bigger problem. In this article, we analyse what correct labelling means, the most frequent errors, and how to prevent them by using vision control and validation technologies.
What is product labelling?
Product labelling is what we call the ensemble of information included on a product to provide essential details on content, source, use, and other relevant product information. This label may be a physical label, like on food containers, or even a digital label, on some more modern products.
The importance of labelling in different industries
Labelling products is essential in different industries, and how important this is can vary depending on the sector:
- Food industry: In this sector, labelling provides consumers with information like ingredients, nutrition facts, allergens, expiry date, and source of the product, guaranteeing transparency and food safety.
- Pharmaceutical industry: Labels here provide important information on dosing, composition, contraindications, and expiry date, which is all very important for the patient’s safety.
- Manufacturing industry: In this case, labelling provides traceability for the product. This facilitates identification of batches, serial numbers, and the source of the materials. This is very important in the event of a recall from the market.
Standards and regulations
Each industry follows a series of specific labelling standards which have been designed to protect consumers and guarantee access to important information. Some of these regulations can include:
- In the food industry, standards like the EU Regulation 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers, which requires clarity in presentation of ingredients and nutrition facts.
- In the pharmaceutical industry, the European Pharmacopoeia establishes strict rules on how medications should be labelled, regulating aspects such as legibility and content.
- In the manufacturing industry standards like ISO 9001 may be applied, which establishes strict standards on quality and traceability for product labelling.
Compliance with these regulations is crucial to avoid fines and product recalls from the market and to protect the brand’s image.
Role of labelling
Labels fulfil several, highly important roles:
- Identification and differentiation: Makes it possible for consumers and distributors to identify products and differentiate them from others on the market with logos, brand names, descriptions, and bar codes.
- Traceability: Also facilitates product tracking from the source to end distribution, which is a basic aspect to guarantee safety in the event of recall or quality issues.
- Consumer safety: Moreover, labelling provides key information, such as safety warnings, user instructions, and allergen details, helping to prevent risks and protect the consumer.
How should labelling be?
Proper labelling is crucial to guarantee that products comply with standards, can be easily identified, and container necessary information in a clear and precise way. As follows, we are going to tell you what the key elements are and essential considerations for appropriate labelling.
Key elements in proper labelling
For labelling to be correct and comply with legal requirements, it must include the following basic elements:
- Product name: Clearly and precisely shows what the product is. This is very important so that the consumer knows exactly what they are purchasing.
- Ingredients list: Mandatory in sectors like food and cosmetics, where all ingredients in decreasing order of weight must be listed, and where noteworthy allergens must also be included.
- Bar code or batch number: This makes product identification and traceability easier. This is a basic aspect for inventory management and possible market recalls.
- Expiry or best-by dates: This is indispensable in perishable items, since it must indicate until when they can be safety consumed or under the best conditions.
- Nutrition facts: Food products must contain values like calories, fats, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and other essential nutrients.
- Country of origin or place of manufacture: This information is crucial for certain markets that prioritise domestic products or have restrictions on imported products.
- User instructions and warnings: For products that require a specific use or that bear some kind of risk, they must include warnings and steps for use.
Label legibility and design
Labels must not only comply with regulations, but also be easy to read and understand. In this regard, the most important points are:
- Font size: The font must be large enough to be read without effort. In many cases, regulations set forth a minimum font size for certain information (for example, ingredients and allergens).
- Colour contrast: The colour choice must guarantee sufficient contrast between the background and the test to prevent the information from going unnoticed or being difficult to read.
- Label location: The label must be placed in a visible location that is easy to access. For products with several sides, a clear zone that is the first thing the consumer sees must be prioritised.
- Clarity in design: The label design must be intuitive and organised in logical fashion. The use of icons or symbols that can be recognised (like recycling or allergy-friendly symbols) can improve quick consumer understanding.
Compliance with international standards
In the globalised world we live in, it is fundamental that labels comply with international standards, which can change from one region to another:
- European Regulation (EU): In the European Union, labelling food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical products falls under strict standards that seek to protect the consumer. These standards include details on font size, location, and the mandatory nature of certain information (such as allergens).
- FDA (USA): In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates labelling for food, medications, and cosmetics, with specific requirements regarding the presentation of the information and health warnings.
- ISO: International Organization for Standardization (ISO) sets certain global standards for labelling products in different industries, which makes greater harmonisation between markets possible.
What is incorrect labelling?
Incorrect labelling is labelling with any error or inconsistency in the information provided by the product container. Some common errors include:
- Improperly placed labels: If improperly positioned or they come off easily, they make reading key information more difficult.
- Incomplete or incorrect information: Not showing ingredients, allergens, or expiry information can be harmful to the consumer.
- Illegible bar code: And improperly printed code can make tracking and inventory management difficult.
How to prevent labelling errors?
Here are several procedures that can help you to prevent labelling errors:
Labelling automation
Automating the labelling process is one of the most effective ways to reduce manual errors that can occur with labelling. Automated systems can improve precision by placing labels consistently, guaranteeing that the information is legible and correct.
They can also handle large numbers of products at a high speed, reducing the likelihood of inconsistencies that tend to arise with manual processes. This not only saves time, but also reduces costs associated with human error, returns, and regulatory fines.
Validation and vision control in labelling
Validation and vision control systems use highly precise cameras to detect errors in real time, verifying aspects such as proper label position, legibility of the bar code, and integrity of information. These systems are able to identify errors, such as missing labels, improperly placed labels, or labels with incomplete information, which means they can be corrected immediately before the products reach the market.
Label inspection solutions with E2M COUTH systems
At E2M COUTH, we have advanced label inspection systems that ensure correct labelling on the production line, like Contourvision. These systems combine artificial vision technologies with validation software, so each detail of labelling can be verified, from text printing to bar codes and graphic quality. This guarantees that the products always comply with standards and reach consumers error-free, protecting the company’s reputation.
Eliminate labelling errors on a production line
At E2M COUTH, we also have systems that can detect and reject products with labelling errors:
Advanced vision technology
Artificial vision systems make it possible to verify labels precisely and in real time, eliminating errors before the products reach the market. These technologies use high-resolution cameras and advanced algorithms to scan each label and verify aspects such as position, legibility, content, and the integrity of bar codes. By detecting these problems, systems can alert workers or stop the production line to correct the error immediately.
Benefits of automatic control
By implementing automated technology in labelling, you can obtain different advantages. Firstly, it significantly reduces human error, which avoids legal sanctions and product recalls. It also guarantees consistency and precision in placing said labels, thereby improving the quality and efficiency of the process. Another one of the main benefits is the system’s ability to constantly improve, since it collects data to improve performance and adjust labelling proactively.
Validation and control with artificial vision: The road to perfect labelling
An efficient label validation system must comply with several technical requirements to guarantee precise, error-free labelling. Key characteristics include:
- High-resolution cameras: They capture slight details and verify text legibility, bar codes, and graphics.
- Advanced recognition algorithms: These are essential to detect inconsistencies, purchase labels with the original design, and confirm that the information is correct.
- Processing speed: An efficient system must inspect labels in real time, without slowing down the production line.
- Intuitive user interface: This makes it easy to configure and monitor the system, so that workers can make fast adjustments if they detect any issues.
- Integration capacity: It should be compatible with other systems on the production line to guarantee fluid communication and efficient processes.
In this regard, E2M COUTH has artificial vision systems that can precisely carry out label quality control to obtain the best results, so all the information is perfectly visible, and to keep any products from being discarded.
Would you like to implement artificial vision systems on your production line? Then you can contact us. We would be delighted to help you.
