There’s a lot more to packages and labels than most consumers suspect. For retail shoppers, the idea of the function and purpose of careful packaging rarely registers. In a similar way, people read labels only to find essential information while browsing in the store aisles. Expiration dates and nutritional panels are usually the only two things they pay attention to. It’s important for both consumers and sellers to learn some of the crucial facts about product labels and packages.
Recycling, while a huge issue for millions of individuals, can introduce confusion when products list official and other kinds of codes on packages. Additionally, fleet managers in transport firms rely on package labels and other information to instruct them about how to move large quantities of goods from one location to another. For consumers, understanding expiration dates is another source of mystery in many instances.
While it will be years before labeling and packaging will reach universal standardization, current practices do a lot of good, but shippers and consumers should know that low-cost product packaging techniques and materials come with a long list of drawbacks. In the end, going cheap can cost manufacturers and merchants much more than they stand to save by opting for budget solutions at the beginning of the process. Consider the following must-know points about the topic.
Recycling Logos & Expiration Dates Can Be Tricky
Many developments in product packing have changed the face of business. Labels that indicate whether a package can be recycled are not reliable. While most sellers love to draw attention to the fact that they are eager recyclers, most are just not willing to make the claim for legal reasons. If a material turns out not to be recyclable when the label said it was, sellers could face legal problems of varying kinds.
On the other side of the spectrum, many overseas manufacturers don’t give a whit about US laws of lawsuits. They routinely use the Recyclable designation of all their packed products. That leaves buyers in a dilemma and ultimately unable to rely on a label that brags, “This package is fully recyclable”, Good Until…”, and “Sell Before …” are two of the most confusing phrases for consumers who rely on labeling to inform them about freshness. Best-until and sell-before dates are nothing more than estimates about freshness.
Fleet Management Decisions Play a Major Role
Managers in transport companies who oversee commercial vehicles are an integral part of getting products from manufacturers to retail and business level buyers. Items that are wrapped and packed well can withstand long trips and multiple bouts of handling and sorting. Further, it’s essential for fleet supervisors to pay close attention to whether every company car and truck falls under the legal definition of commercial vehicle.
To be on the safe side of the law, they should follow Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration definitions, based on the type of vehicle and the job it does, for ascertaining whether drivers must obtain CDLs (commercial driver licenses). Transport managers and owners should learn all the relevant facts about the FMCSA regulations on this topic. Fleet supervisors wear several hats. Most are fully aware of the physical goods they carry and the kinds of licenses their drivers must hold.