Packaging is vital for many reasons, one being its role in conveying significant information to consumers, but as manufacturers are encouraged to reduce the amount of packaging used, they lose dedicated space for displaying the nutritional facts. However, there is one option available to producers that will not compromise on the quality of the labelling and ultimately the finished product.
Manufacturers within the food labelling sector face increasingly stringent laws regarding the information that is required to be displayed on the packaging of foodstuffs and beverages; consumers need to be fully aware of what they are purchasing and the ingredients included, and these laws are also in place to ensure fair trading and even competitiveness in the market. Producers also have environmental factors to consider and face continuing pressure to reduce waste and over-production; this is one problem for manufacturers when space is needed to display all of the relevant information.
One solution that a lot of successful, world-renowned brands are opting for is Fix-a-Form, a fold-out label that was created to allow for more room to display important information whilst reducing the need for packaging. This was developed in the 1970s by Denny Bros Ltd., market leaders in their field who take great pride in their ability to find solutions to complex problems. Fix-a-Form is so successful due to its flexibility, innovation and environmental efficiency, and today the labels are produced in over 50 countries worldwide under a specialist licence, winning its manufacturers many awards and accolades. The labels are produced using customised machinery to ensure each completed reel is of the highest quality, allowing the products to stand-out on the shelves of retailers, attracting the attention of new and existing consumers.
Because this product is essentially a label that expands, they only take up the same amount of space as a standard label.
There are many formats that Fix-a-Form can take, allowing for maximum space whilst only using the minimum adhesive needed for secure attachment. These formats can be manufactured into, and expand into, many shapes and sizes, depending on product requirements. For example, a uni-book is a suitable option if the booklet will be needed again for future reference, for instance if it contains recipes, due to its ability to be fixated and removed once the product has been purchased. A fold-out or concertina label is another very popular design due to its ability to be easily read. A bi-fold label expands in two directions and a twin form label displays information on three printed surfaces. Each format can feature up to 36 pages of text, images and diagrams in full colour to match the design of the product’s branding.
In addition to this, there are various options for laminating the labels, such as Kleer-Form, a clear sheet that fixes over the leaflet and Kleer-Format, a laminated leaflet that contains a carrier label. Another possibility is Laminated Fix-a-Form; the whole label is laminated in order to provide a durable exterior and quality finish, ideal for products that are used frequently or will be stored in difficult locations. There are also a variety of closures that can be added to complete the product, making it very flexible to meet the design specification of the manufacturers. Perforations, resealable fixings, wrap-under tabs and self-seal attachments can all be incorporated into the design of the labels.
Fix-a-Form is suitable for a number of marketing purposes which is why many manufacturing companies choose this product. The labels are ideal for conveying detailed information, as the additional space allows for thorough nutritional information to be published, and in different languages if required. For instance, Baxter’s Food Group chose Fix-a-Form labels for their Jack Daniel’s BBQ sauces; each of the four varieties had a fold-out label attached to the back of the bottle, and it was imperative that the labels followed the strict design specifications of the company so the Jack Daniel’s brand was instantly recognisable. The additional space allowed nutritional information to be printed in various languages, which meant the wide variety of labels produced could be drastically streamlined, reducing the overall amount of packaging produced and therefore also reducing waste, making this operation very cost effective and beneficial for the environment.
The versatility of the labels means that they are highly suitable for a wide variety of promotional purposes, rewarding existing loyal customers with offers and giveaways, whilst enticing new consumers simultaneously. Some options which can be incorporated into the labelling are stickers, removable gifts, competition codes (which are completely randomised during the printing stage), money-off vouchers or in the example of Coca-Cola Light in Belgium, a magazine. In 2007, 400,000 of these bottled beverages were distributed with a women’s magazine called ‘GLAM*IT’ attached, with the aim of improving their relations with their target audience of 18 to 25 year old females. The small-sized magazine was contained in a self-adhesive label and applied to the bottles using automatic labelling equipment. Including a booklet with your goods means you can add a wide variety of information to your product, such as possible recipes for the consumer to try, company profiles or awareness of certain topics relating to your product.
Another example is Galloway, a Scottish brand of cheese which gave customers the opportunity to have money-off other products in their range. They managed to achieve this by attaching a 10 page Fix-a-Form to the existing label on the cheese without losing space for pricing, weight and other vital information. The aim of this promotion was to increase recognition of the brand within the retail market, and this target was met successfully.
If this method of label application is used on the production line, energy consumption is likely to decrease; once the labels have been manufactured they can be applied to the product using standard application machinery, meaning no need for purchasing specialist machinery, and therefore minimal disruption to your current production line, ensuring a continued high level of productivity. However, if you do require machinery of this sort, then some companies, including Denny Bros Ltd, offer the technology as a part of their service, reducing the costs of the operation.
Whilst providing many benefits to clients, these labels also meet the demanding health and safety standards within the industry, meaning manufacturers and consumers at the end of the supply chain can be sure they receive the best possible quality. After 30 years of continued success, Fix-a-Form is still used worldwide by a renowned base of clients, all of whom aim to improve customer awareness of their goods and provide their consumers with a product of excellence.
Lindsay Cowie, Food & Drink Network UK, 02 February 2011
