In Canada, for some products labelling becomes more important than use. Canadian regulations governing labelling on foods have been in place since 2002 and mandate that products comply with these regulations if being sold outside of Canada. Label compliance is a serious matter for the companies who desire a successful stay in North America. This article gives an overview of some practical solutions to achieve FDA compliant labelling production at a competitive price.
The Importance of Label Compliance
Label compliance is a legal requirement proving that health and safety instructions for a particular product have been communicated via instructions from the manufacturer, packaging, information provided by the retailer, labelling or other sources. When a product falls short of expected label compliance, FDA enforcement actions can take place as well as consumer litigation which results in potential fines, damages and other consequences. Therefore, it is important to understand the ingredients contained within a product to avoid any type of risk.
Why do you need a label compliance provider to avoid problems online?
A label compliance provider offers a range of solutions and tools for your products and other brand materials. Labels can be updated to reflect updated requirements and various type changes. Guidelines should encourage practices such as templates, templates, prepaid mailing labels and barcodes that include information such as price or SKU number details.
Checking your label
Get the most important information you need on product labels. Before making a purchase, here are some questions to ask yourself:
1) What is the health claim certification level of the product?
2) Does this product have artificial sweeteners?
3) Does this product contain gluten?
4) Is there any animal testing associated with this product?
5) Does this product meet the definition of organic under the USDA National Organic Program (USDA NO. 205)?
Labelling Compliance in Canada
The first step towards ensuring that you comply with Canadian labelling laws and regulations is to understand the scope. Exactly how many pieces of merchandise does your business sell? If it is counted, can you provide records? Follow-up questions might include: do the products contain chemicals on the restricted list which may cause allergic reactions, are the products produced in a country where restriction does not apply for any ingredient or are manufactured with an ingredient no longer available?
As you prepare your plan, keep in mind the most common violations. Make sure they apply to your company! Some common examples include:
- Labelling Guidelines for Packaging Materials
Label compliance guidelines can be extremely confusing and overwhelming for companies trying to make their labels comply with the labelling guidelines set out by the label conformance authority. Probably one of the most important guidelines is that individuals should not be able to detect the distinctive features of the product through its packaging.
- Considering the Environment
Labels pretty much impact a brand’s image. However, in some cases, they can also harm a big name if improperly placed, is not true to what it says, is missing important terms or lacks its ingredients information.
- Packaging Packaging Packaging FAQs
Understanding the many different types of labelling rules for consumer goods can leave companies struggling to speed up the time it takes to bring products to market.
- Contracts and Warranties
Having a contract regarding expected quality is one of the most effective ways to hold a company accountable for what they say. A warranty can protect both parties involved and neutralize potential future disputes. Warranties, a type of contract, also come in two different forms: full and limited. The best thing about warranties is that this contract does not have to be signed by the consumer – many retailers offer their own “official-looking” contracts that are based on similar language.
Increasing Employee Engagement through Technology
Effective working practices require employees to be engaged with their work. Traditional practices for engaging employees are still highly effective, but might not be the best fit for every company’s culture. Technology has the potential to create deeper connections with employees through team-building efforts and engaging content.
Conclusion
A few of our audience members raised problems and concerns when using compliance analytics. One is this: “when data labeling issues occur, my visibility decreased, not increased.” If this is the case, the next proactive step you can take will be to ensure branding and internal communication!
