These days, it is more important than ever for consumers to have clear and easy to understand information presented to them, particularly in order to help them make an informed choice concerning what they are about to eat and drink.
Such detail is important for people who have specific dietary requirements and need to be extremely careful to avoid ingesting certain products and ingredients, those who want to pay closer attention to their daily calorie intake, and those who simply want to try something different for their dinner tonight.
While there are constant arguments and debates within Europe about what information is deemed suitable and necessary to provide to consumers (the traffic light system on food products, for example), there is still the issue of making sure that any labelling is applied efficiently, safely (for example, in terms of how appropriate the substrate or the adhesive is for a particular application, i.e. food) and with minimal impact on the environment.
In terms of efficiency and cost-effectiveness, a large proportion of modern labelling equipment integrates both printing and application functions within the same machine, saving on both space and money. Financial savings can be made through the lack of downtime that results from fewer machines containing less component parts than older equipment – fewer faults and a reduction in downtime for cleaning and maintenance being the main advantage – as well as the reduced need for operatives.
Many labelling machines are able to be programmed to reload label reels, print and apply labels and then pass the finished product along the process line to be sorted ready for either storage or for distribution to the end user, which largely dispenses with the need for an operative to be present 100 per cent of the time, freeing them up to deal with other tasks that might need a more hands-on approach.
Labelling machines can also be programmed to pre-empt the need for servicing, to warn operatives of the development of a potential defect within the equipment itself, and to alert someone if a jam, or anything else out of the ordinary, occurs. Warning messages can either take the form of an audible alarm or an e-mail or text message being sent to the member of staff responsible for each particular machine.
The majority of new labelling machinery coming onto the market has additional benefits for manufacturers in that it can often be integrated with older, pre-installed equipment, reducing overall costs by eliminating the need to renew an entire production line. It is also much faster and more efficient than older machinery, reducing the pressure on aging apparatus and possibly prolonging its life.
Nicole Tinmurth, Food & Drink Network UK, 22 July 2010
