Why Your Label Is More Than Just Pretty Packaging

For a small business, every label is a chance to make a good impression. But in the UK, it is also a legal document. Whether you sell jam at a farmers' market, soap online, or granola in a local deli, your packaging label must tell shoppers what is inside, how much they are getting, and whether it is safe for them. Get it wrong and you risk upsetting customers, receiving a warning from Trading Standards, or facing a fine. Get it right, and you build trust while making your product stand out on a crowded shelf.

Ingredients and Allergens: The Heart of the Label

If you sell food or drink, the ingredients list is compulsory. List every ingredient in descending order by weight, starting with the largest. If an ingredient appears in the product name — say, "strawberry jam" — you must show the percentage of strawberries used. This is known as QUID (Quantitative Ingredient Declaration).

Allergens are where many small producers slip up. The 14 major allergens must be emphasised in the ingredients list — usually by making them bold, CAPITALISED, or underlined. These include cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts, soybeans, milk, nuts, celery, mustard, sesame, sulphur dioxide, lupin, and molluscs. You can also add a "Contains" statement, but it must not replace the emphasis in the list.

• Always check your recipe for hidden allergens, such as soy in sauces or milk powder in crisps.
• Use a clear, legible font — no smaller than 1.2mm for the 'x' height on most packaging.
• If you produce in a kitchen that handles nuts, you must declare that risk, even if your product does not contain nuts.

Weight, Quantity and Origin: Getting the Numbers Right

Weights and measures rules are strict. You must display the net weight or volume in metric units — grams, kilograms, millilitres, or litres. If you sell by weight, the label needs the net weight, not the gross weight. For products sold in the UK, you can also show imperial units, but metric must come first and be at least as prominent.

If you sell pre-packed products, you may need to use the estimated sign (the 'e' mark) if you are packing to average weight rules. That little 'e' tells shoppers the amount is within legal tolerances. For small businesses, it is often simpler to pack exact weights and avoid the 'e' mark unless you fully understand the rules.

Country of origin is required for certain foods, such as beef, fish, honey, and fresh produce. If you make a product in Wales but import the oats from Scotland, you need to be clear about where the final product was made versus where the ingredients came from. Do not mislead — "Made in Yorkshire" is fine if it truly was.

Recycling Information: Clear, Honest, and On-Pack

Shoppers increasingly look for recycling advice, and the UK has moved towards standardised on-pack labelling. The OPRL (On-Pack Recycling Label) system is widely recognised, using simple messages like "Recycle" or "Not Yet Recycled" alongside the material type. While not always a legal requirement, providing this information is good practice and helps customers dispose of your packaging responsibly.

Be truthful. If your label or pouch cannot be recycled kerbside, say so. Do not use the Mobius loop symbol unless the packaging is widely recyclable. For mixed materials, such as a paper label on a plastic tub, explain that the label should be removed. A small line like "Bottle — recycle. Label — remove and bin" prevents confusion.

• Use the correct recycling symbols for each component: bottle, cap, label, and outer box.
• If you use compostable packaging, state clearly that it needs an industrial composting facility, not a home compost bin.
• Keep recycling text a minimum of 1.5mm tall so it is readable without a magnifying glass.

Design That Keeps Shoppers Reading

Legal text does not have to look dull. Strong label design balances compliance with appeal. Start with a clear hierarchy: your brand name and product type first, then the legal details. Use high contrast between text and background — dark text on light backgrounds works best. Avoid placing important information over busy patterns or photos.

Choose a clean sans-serif font for ingredients and allergens, and keep it at least 1.2mm tall. White space is your friend; cramming every millimetre makes labels look cluttered and hard to scan. If you have a small label, use a folded label or a booklet format to fit everything without shrinking the text to unreadable sizes. And always print a physical proof before a full run — colours look different on screen than on paper or film.

Practical Checks Before You Print

Before you send your artwork to the printer, run through a simple checklist. Have you included the product name, ingredients, allergens, net weight, best-before date, storage instructions, your business name and address, and any recycling advice? Is the font size legal? Are all allergens emphasised consistently? Have you proofread for typos — especially in ingredient names?

Keep a master copy of every label version, with dates, so you can trace changes if a recipe or supplier changes. If you are unsure, ask your local Trading Standards office for advice — they are there to help small businesses get it right. A well-designed, compliant label protects your customers, your reputation, and your bottom line.