2023 Labelling Trends and Predictions
As we begin 2023, companies that use barcoding and labelling must remain agile and resilient. There are three common themes surrounding upcoming labelling trends and predictions, including:
- Unexpected industry pressures are forcing businesses to deploy more nimble supply chains.
- New labelling technologies are helping businesses streamline product lifecycle management.
- Amended consumer safety regulations are requiring businesses to meet new labelling and packaging standards.
More nimble supply chains
Lean, cost-saving supply chain strategies like just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing and offshoring have created havoc in the global economy during a disruptive year. Survival in this new era requires agility and the ability to respond to new and unexpected pressures as they arise — all while maintaining efficiencies throughout the process. Automated labelling processes enable organizations to keep up with today’s supply environments while enhancing product traceability accuracy. Robust labelling automation technology — especially when integrated with centralised label management solutions — can also do things like enable data management from a single pane of glass, reduce labour costs and easily scale as a business evolves.
Streamline product lifecycle management
Because of things like label serialisation, increased label attributes, the explosion of e-commerce and ever-evolving industry regulations; new labelling technologies are required to:
- Streamline data carriers included on product packaging.
- Enhance product traceability.
- Improve security and compliance.
For example, 2D barcodes can store more valuable information than 1D barcodes, as they hold data in both horizontal and vertical dimensions. They are also easier and faster to read, and more secure because the data they store can be encrypted. Cloud-enabled RFID technology connects billions of items to the internet — providing real-time data and insights that enables organizations to identify out-of-sight items, as well as the ability to locate and authenticate each item. When adding digital watermarking into the mix, organisations can mitigate counterfeiting and diversions even further.
Amended consumer safety regulations
As governments across the globe continue to amend regulations for consumer safety, labelling and packaging regulations are also becoming more stringent. This means that companies must quickly adapt their supply chains to ensure they remain compliant with ever-evolving regulatory requirements and retain public trust. For example, several food and beverage manufacturers were required to update their Nutrition Facts labels in 2020 or 2021, and these guidelines will likely continue to be updated soon.
Ensure your supply chain is agile
If you’re searching for an automated solution to create labels, barcodes, RFID tags, packing slips and more as you head into 2023, printDATA is here to help you streamline your supply chain. Whether you operate a small business or a large-scale enterprise, our comprehensive labelling hardware and software is built to improve safety, security, efficiency, and compliance. In addition, it integrates across a wide range of industries, including supply chain, retail, pharmaceutical, food and beverage and others.
PrintDATA is proud to partner with Seagull Scientific as a reseller of BarTender label software. BarTender enables businesses owners to automatically shift label production to other sites, regardless of they are in a different region or across the globe. Businesses can also instantly implement label format changes and updates throughout their facilities (and their partners’ and suppliers’ facilities), as well as share serialization schema and production data across their entire operation. In short, by using BarTender, printDATA is giving you the agility to pivot with the shifting needs of your supply and demand chains.
Learn how printDATA can keep your organization nimble as the industry evolves by getting in touch with us today.
Read more about Bartender here.
