Family Economics And Consumer Education 3 (2+1)

Lesson 30 :Labelling and packaging

Types of labels

Labels are classified as

1. Grade labels
2. Descriptive labels
3. Informative labels and
4. Care labels.

For many years manufacturers have used labels mainly to identify their own products. These labels are known as “Brand labels”. They are valuable because they let the consumer known how to identify and distinguish between a product and another product put up for sale by the same or a different manufacturer or a retailer. Some manufacturers use different brand names to different qualities of the same product, where as some may have only one name but use different grade labels to identify the differences in their quality.
Ex: Colgate is the brand name, i.e. brand label

1. Grade labels are used for commodities which are produced to conform to certain generally accepted standards and for products which can be classified in conformity with a set of established grades like A, B, C or 1,2, 3 etc. Grade label which give detailed information to buyers who are aware of exact qualities in the standards prescribed for an article. For common consumers these grade labels may not be much useful as they cannot understand the meaning of these grades.
   
   To overcome these constraints many manufacturers and distributors have “Descriptive label”
   
2. Descriptive labels: Provide information about the general characteristics of the goods. These labels are useful for consumer in choosing goods of their choice. Descriptive labels gives some of the characteristics of the article in which the consumers are interested usually in non-technical terms with a view to make the product attractive to the consumers. Some other terms used in a label may be so general that they have no meaning to a consumer. But some others are helpful to the consumers who may be trying to find just the quality of an article he wants.
   
3. Informative labels: contain description of the goods like the composition of the product, its manufacturing details, its performance, care and other uses etc. these labels use simple language and non- technical words. The informative labels usually combine the best features of both grade and descriptive labels. They use grade designations when they are helpful to a consumer. They use descriptive terms which are more effective like the brand labels, they also display the names of the manufacturers or the sale distributer or selling or marketing agents. Ex: packed on 6/04 Batch No B069
4. Care labels: There are also a few consumer items which carry “care labels”. These are usually seen on textile products or clothing items. Care labels give the information on the care required like” Do not stretch or pull” when the item is in use or while washing care may be taken about the proper temperature of H2O or use of bleach /soap/detergent powder, whether machine wash or hand wash, brush to be used, whether sun drying or drying in shade or heat dry ironing temperature, when storing use a hanger or store flat or store with a wrapper or in a plastic cover etc. labels are supplied by manufacturer on product packing in printed form usually pasted on every package.
   Ex: Dry clean only. quality and contents, rather than an emotional choice based on popularity of a brand name or cost.