Understanding the Product Labelling Laws

Product Labelling LawsTo some people, a product label is just a way of passing information to the end user. To others, labels are an elaborate marketing tool that is both catchy and informative. To the authorities, they are compliance to the laws created to ensure that you adequately inform customers of what is in your product.

There are different international labelling laws that will most definitely apply on all your NZ labels. To ensure you are following these laws, here are some things you should keep in mind:

Be factual

According to the Competition and Consumer Act of 2010, you can never give misleading or deceptive information to the consumer whilst publishing your labels. New Zealand’s Food Standards Code also implies the same rule. This means that every claim, ingredient, and any possible side effects or warnings must be on the label. You should never use it to coerce consumers into buying your product.

The size of the labelling

As Unimax notes, a good label is just but sensible. It does not flood the consumer with unnecessary information. It also should be big enough and legible. Regulations like the National Trade Measurement Regulations of 2009 implicitly dictate the position, format and size of different labels. Adhering to these rules not only guarantees customer satisfaction, but also keeps you on the right side of the law.

Location of the label

You might think that all people put labels on the sides of containers and not the bottom simply because they are not creative enough. This is not always the case. International labelling laws demand that your label be visible to consumers under normal display conditions. This means that you should put all your labels somewhere visible to the user at a first glance.

Hiring a label designer and producer will take all these worry off your shoulders. Such designers are up-to-date with the local packaging rules and will advise you on what design best suits your product.

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