Food Packaging Suppliers and Labelling

Finding the right packaging for the food that you produce can be a confusing thing. Once you've settled upon a design that will help market your food in the best way possible - and keep it fresh and safe to use - you have to deal with another important thing: labelling. These days, many kinds of food require labels under law in Australia. Learn more about what food labels are used for, and the information that they must convey.

What Purposes Do Labelling Serve?

At its core, labelling is used to help identify a product and to let consumers know what it contains. This is important for a number of reasons, and it is especially critical to people who have food allergies and other dietary restrictions. If a food label doesn't clearly convey the ingredients and other facts about a product, many consumers will pass it by; it may not even be allowed to go on the shelf in Australia.

Labelling serves a number of purposes, which is why food packaging suppliers must be flexible about what they offer. A few of the top purposes of food labelling include:

Product Positioning - A good label will help a consumer understand where it stands in the scheme of things. In other words, is this food supposed to be all-natural? Is it designed to be a dessert? Is it gourmet? A label can convey all of this information.

Product Identification - The most basic point of using a label is to let consumers know the name and brand of a food product. Packaging suppliers can print the name and logo of your product so that people instantly know what it is.

Product Promotion - Well-designed labels can catch peoples' eye and compel them to make a purchase.

Product Description - A food packaging label can include a detailed description about the product that it contains. The copy can be written in a way that entices people, making them want to buy it.

Labelling and the Law

Food labelling laws are defined by the Australia and New Zealand Food Standards Code. Before hiring a packaging supplier to create your packaging, make sure you know what kinds of information you're required to include. Some examples include:

- Where the food was processed, prepared and packed
- The name of the business that manufactured the food
- The batch number or lot number of the food, which can be used in the case of a recall
- Advisory and warning information
- The physical address of the food manufacturer
- Nutritional information
- The date mark or expiration date
- A listing of the product's ingredients

Other information may be required by law; refer to the Standards Code for additional information.