In the food and beverage industry, packaging labels do more than just enhance branding and appeal—they play a critical role in compliance, consumer safety, and industry regulations. Whether you’re packaging perishable goods, bottled beverages, or ready-to-eat food items, ensuring that your labels meet regulatory standards is essential. At Abbey Labels, we understand the importance of compliant, high-quality labels tailored to the food and beverage industry.
Why Compliance Matters in Food & Beverage Labelling
Labelling regulations exist to protect consumers, ensuring they receive accurate information about the products they consume. From nutritional details to allergen warnings, food labels must meet stringent legal requirements. Businesses that fail to comply can face fines, product recalls, and reputational damage. This is why choosing the right label materials, adhesives, and printing techniques is critical.
Key Compliance Factors for Food Packaging Labels
1. Regulatory Standards & BRC Accreditation
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) Global Standards and Food Information Regulations (FIR) set strict requirements for food labelling in the UK. These include:
- Clearly stating product names, ingredients, and allergens
- Ensuring durability of labels under refrigeration and freezing conditions
- Compliance with food safety certifications such as BRC Accreditation
Abbey Labels ensures that all food packaging labels are produced with compliance in mind, using food-safe materials and adhesives.
2. Allergen & Nutritional Information
Food and beverage labels must display allergens clearly as per Natasha’s Law and other relevant UK and EU regulations. Ingredients such as nuts, dairy, and gluten must be highlighted within ingredient lists, ensuring consumer safety. Nutritional information must also follow standardised formats, including details like calories, fat content, and suggested portion sizes.
3. Food-Safe Materials & Ink
Labels for food and beverages must be printed with non-toxic, food-safe inks and adhesives. This is particularly important for direct-contact labels, where labels come into contact with food items. Abbey Labels uses low-migration inks and adhesives that comply with food industry standards to prevent contamination.
4. Durability & Environmental Factors
Food labels must be able to withstand various conditions to ensure they remain intact and legible throughout a product’s lifecycle.
For chilled and frozen products, moisture and condensation can pose a challenge. Labels need to be resistant to water exposure to prevent peeling, smudging, or ink degradation. Abbey Labels offers waterproof and condensation-resistant label solutions, ensuring that labels stay in place and maintain clarity even in extreme cold environments.
For hot food packaging, labels must be heat and grease resistant. Exposure to high temperatures, steam, and oils can weaken adhesives or cause the label to deteriorate. Our labels are designed to handle these conditions without losing their effectiveness, ensuring that crucial product information remains legible.
Sustainability is also a growing concern for businesses and consumers alike. Many companies are moving towards biodegradable and recyclable label options to reduce environmental impact. Abbey Labels offers eco-friendly label materials, including compostable papers and recyclable film labels, helping brands align with sustainability initiatives while maintaining compliance.
Industry-Specific Label Solutions
1. Beverage Labels (Bottled Drinks, Wines & Spirits)
Beverage labels need to be durable, moisture-resistant, and visually appealing. Whether for craft beer, wine and spirits, or drinks in glass bottles, labels must withstand cold storage and condensation while maintaining brand impact. Abbey Labels provides high-quality polypropylene and laminated labels that resist moisture and smudging.
2. Fresh & Frozen Food Labels
Cold storage requires labels that resist temperature fluctuations. Our freezer-grade adhesives ensure labels remain intact even in extreme conditions, preventing peeling or ink smudging.
3. Ready-to-Eat & Convenience Food Labels
Labels for ready meals must be designed to withstand high temperatures and exposure to steam or grease. Heat-resistant label solutions ensure durability when used in microwaves or hot environments such as hot plates. Additionally, grease-proof labels can maintain clarity and adhesion even when exposed to oils and sauces, making them ideal for takeaway and ready-meal packaging.
4. Bakery & Confectionery Labels
Customisation and branding are key in the bakery or sweets sector. Our high-quality, food-safe printing ensures vibrant, eye-catching labels or stickers that can withstand handling and moisture.
How Abbey Labels Can Help
With extensive experience in industry compliant labelling, Abbey Labels provides custom solutions that meet compliance and branding needs. Our labels are:
✔ BRC/IoP Accredited for food safety assurance
✔ Available in multiple finishes (matte, gloss, textured)
✔ Compatible with various packaging types (plastic, glass, cardboard)
✔ Produced with food-safe inks and adhesives
Whether you need allergen-compliant food labels, moisture-resistant bottle labels, or biodegradable options, Abbey Labels ensures your packaging meets industry standards while creating that shelf appeal.
Food and beverage labels are more than just a branding tool—they are a legal requirement that ensures consumer safety and regulatory compliance. By choosing high-quality, food-safe materials and ensuring adherence to BRC Accreditation and UK food labelling laws, you can maintain compliance and boost consumer trust. Need high-quality, compliant labels for your food or beverage products? Contact Abbey Labels today for expert guidance and tailored label solutions!
