Most packages, whether final customer packaging or distribution packaging, are imprinted with information intended to assist the customer. For consumer products, labeling decisions are extremely important for the following reasons.
- Captures Attention – Labels serve to capture the attention of shoppers. The use of catchy words may cause strolling customers to stop and evaluate the product.
- Offers First Impression – The label is likely to be the first thing a new customer sees and thus offers their first impression of the product.
- Provides Information – The label provides customers with product information to aid their purchase decision or help improve the customer’s experience when using the product (e.g., recipes).
- Aids Purchasing – Labels generally include a universal product codes (UPC) and, in some cases, radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, that make it easy for resellers, such as retailers, to checkout customers and manage inventory.
- Addresses Needs in Global Markets – For companies serving international markets or diverse cultures within a single country, bilingual or multilingual labels may be needed.
- Meets Legal Requirements – In some countries many products, including food and pharmaceuticals, are required by law to contain certain labels such as listing ingredients, providing nutritional information or including usage warning information.
