Product labeling
Product labeling (also article identification ) is information about a commodity that it to trade or to the final consumer guide.
Definitions
Often, the term product labeling is primarily understood to mean information for end consumers about quality properties that are attached to the goods themselves or the packaging , such as quality seals or quantities. In a broader definition, it can also be aimed at dealers, including information such as price or article number and also information accompanying the goods that is not directly attached to the product or its packaging.
In labeling law in particular, the term labeling often encompasses the entirety of labels (words, information, manufacturer or trade marks, images or symbols) that refer to a product. The individual labels themselves, which provide information about a certain aspect of the product, are often individually regulated and form a self-contained unit of information, are often referred to as label elements .
The term goods labeling or product labeling can occasionally also mean the process of labeling, in contrast to the label itself attached to the goods.
Product labels can take the form of symbols , pictograms , logos or short texts. They are often standardized by a large number of national and international guidelines. A wide variety of labeling techniques exist for marking and labeling products . They can be attached to packaging, documents, boards, labels, rings or closures of any kind.
features
Product labels for consumers can be distinguished in terms of a number of characteristics.
Label takers are mostly manufacturers. Signs can be given by government institutions, independent associations, branch organizations or individual companies. The target group of the labels are often consumers, but they can also be dealers, processing companies or other organizations.
Product labels are often only assigned to specific product groups and often have a regional or national scope . They differ in the type and scope of the information presented , ranging from a simple indication that certain criteria have been met to detailed quantitative information about product properties. You can highlight positive or negative product features or provide information about neutral features.
There are various display options and formats for product labels . These range from strongly symbolic labels, for example with many eco-labels , to detailed textual representations, such as the declaration of ingredients. A distinction is made between mandatory and voluntary labeling . Examples of mandatory, legal regulations for product labeling in Germany are the Price Indication Ordinance , the Textile Labeling Act , quality and trade classes , hazardous substance labeling or the Food Information Ordinance . So the latter writes u. a. the following information:
- the sales description
- the address of the manufacturer or packer
- List of ingredients
- Allergen labeling
- Net weight
- a best-before date (for prepackaged items ) or the use- by date for goods that perish very quickly, such as minced meat .
Voluntary labeling can contain additional information on the product, such as nutrition labeling , information on the quality standard or safety status. Here again a distinction must be made between company-specific marks ( self-declaration ) and marks of third parties, for example independent quality associations or consumer organizations such as the Stiftung Warentest .
In most cases, products that are to receive a label must meet certain award criteria or standards. It is important here who defines the award criteria and who checks products for compliance with the criteria. This can be the signer himself or independent standardization and control bodies commissioned by him. Important features of the criteria are their objective verifiability and transparency.
function
Product labeling is a channel for consumer information that is often characterized by limited space but immediate availability when purchasing. Often, product labels refer to other channels with more comprehensive information, such as Internet portals. Both the manufacturer and the state can provide information about product labels through mandatory labels such as warning notices on cigarette packaging.
Product labels as consumer information are primarily intended to provide information about product features that the buyer cannot perceive at the time of purchase. In terms of their properties, which are provided by a label, the goods have characteristics of goods based on experience or trust .
If these hidden characteristics are positive or negative , i.e. the target group generally sees them as “good” or “bad”, there is an information asymmetry between seller and buyer that can affect trade. Because the buyer has to expect that the seller withholds or understates negative product features and exaggerates positive ones. As a result, he will only want to pay a lower price or refrain from buying it altogether. Products with positive but more complex to manufacture properties will hardly establish themselves in such a so-called lemon market . Credible product labels, such as quality seals , can help here. Because of the required credibility, legal symbols and symbols of independent organizations are particularly important here.
Product labels can also provide information about neutral quality properties for which the manufacturer has no incentive to misrepresent. Examples of this are dress sizes. Labels can also provide important information on handling the product, such as washing instructions for textiles, hazard symbols or recycling instructions.
The function of product labels depends on their scope of information and their form of representation, their allocation criteria and their control. Simple, symbolic labels have a high information density and low complexity. They can therefore be evaluated quickly and easily by the consumer. On the other hand, they only enable less differentiated purchase decisions and require greater trust in the label's institutions than in the case of complex labels with a large amount of information. Company-specific labels usually have a lower level of standardization and are less credible than labels of independent third parties.
Frequently used marks
General
It is useful for sales to attach a machine-readable product number, such as the European Article Number or the Universal Product Code , which are encoded in barcodes . Barcodes are available in various forms, including 2D barcodes .
On the basis of a CE marking it can be recognized that a product complies with the statutory provisions of European legal norms that affect it and can therefore be traded within the European Community . The symbol represents a legally required declaration of conformity by the manufacturer. However, this symbol may only be attached if this is expressly provided for in the relevant legal standard for the product in question.
Hazard pictograms , signal words as well as H-phrases and P-phrases provide information about hazards relevant to chemicals law . For end consumers, there may also be products with outdated hazard symbols on an orange background.
packagings
Mark |
Name , |
Sign giver , |
scope of application |
---|---|---|---|
Estimation mark , |
mandatory self-declaration , directive 76/211 / EEC (prepackaging directive) |
European Union | |
Nominal filling quantity , |
mandatory self-declaration , directive 76/211 / EEC (prepackaging directive) |
European Union | |
Drained weight , |
mandatory self-declaration (for solid foods in infusion liquids), prepackaging ordinance , § 11 sentence 2 |
Germany | |
Full |
mandatory self-declaration , prepackaging regulation |
Germany | |
23 э 7· 0,75l 78 ···· · ·· ··
|
Container identification , |
Self-declaration (partly mandatory for measuring containers) , Directive 75/107 / EEC, Appendix I, 8. DIN 6121 |
European Union |
Symbol for food contact material , |
Mandatory self-declaration |
European Union | |
Also , , |
Conformity mark for aerosol packaging (inverted epsilon), |
mandatory self-declaration |
European Union |
Waste disposal
Mark |
Name , |
Sign giver , |
scope of application |
---|---|---|---|
International recycling symbol (Möbius strip) , |
voluntary self-declaration |
international | |
Universal recycling symbol (Möbius strip) with percentage , |
voluntary self-declaration |
international | |
Recycling symbol with recycling code , |
voluntary self-declaration of the |
Europe | |
Green point , |
National recycling systems (including Grüner Punkt (Germany) , Altstoff Recycling Austria ) |
Europe | |
Symbol BellandDual , |
National recycling systems (including Grüner Punkt (Germany) , Altstoff Recycling Austria ) |
Europe | |
|
Reusable working group |
Germany | |
|
ARGE sustainable beverage packaging of the Chamber of Commerce |
Austria | |
|
Germany | ||
crossed out garbage can , |
mandatory self-declaration of the |
Europe | |
Tidyman , |
voluntary self-declaration |
international | |
Glass recycling symbol with Tidyman , |
voluntary self-declaration |
international | |
Can recycling symbol with Tidyman , |
voluntary self-declaration |
in the form: Germany | |
Compostability mark , |
DIN CERTCO (in Germany) |
Europe |
cosmetics
In the European Union, cosmetics are labeled according to Directive 76/768 / EEC ( Cosmetics Directive ), implemented in Germany by the Cosmetics Regulation . As of mid-2013, Regulation (EC) No. 1223/2009 on cosmetic products will replace these regulations.
Mark |
Name , |
Sign giver , |
scope of application |
---|---|---|---|
"Best before: 15.02.13 "
|
Best before date (best |
Mandatory self-declaration |
European Union |
Period of use (engl. Period after Opening , PAO ), |
mandatory self-declaration |
European Union | |
References to the information enclosed or attached to the product , |
mandatory self-declaration |
European Union | |
UVA symbol , |
voluntary self-declaration |
European Union | |
Cosmetic Ingredient |
mandatory self-declaration |
European Union | |
Lot number , |
mandatory self-declaration of the |
Germany |
Food
In Germany, the Food, Consumer Goods and Feed Code, as the umbrella law of food law , stipulates a prohibition of deception and empowers the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection to issue ordinances for certain food labeling. In principle, all information on prepackaged foods in the European Union is regulated by the Food Information Regulation (LMIV). On December 13, 2014, this replaced the Food Labeling Ordinance (LMKV), which only applies in Germany . The LMIV stipulates general mandatory labeling elements, above all the sales description, manufacturer, list of ingredients, best-before or use-by date. For some of these label elements, there are legal and similar sources that regulate them in more detail. The sales description is often determined in product-specific regulations; where these are not available, the sales description applies, for example from the German food book . More details on the labeling of ingredients are regulated by the Additive Admissions Ordinance , details on lot labeling are regulated by the German Lot Identification Ordinance (LKV; in Austria: Lot Identification Ordinance [LKVO]). These general regulations are supplemented by a large number of product group-specific regulations, such as
In Switzerland, the EDI ordinance on information about food is decisive. Pre-packaged food placed on the market in Switzerland must be labeled in at least one of the three official languages (German, French or Italian).
The following table shows examples of common food labels.
Mark |
Name , |
Sign giver , |
scope of application |
---|---|---|---|
|
Mandatory self-declaration |
European Union | |
Protected designation of origin , |
Voluntary self-declaration (entry in the DOOR register of the EU required) |
European Union | |
Fat content level , |
mandatory self-declaration of the |
Germany | |
Nutritional value labeling , |
voluntary self-declaration |
European Union | |
Guideline Daily Amount (GDA) , |
voluntary self-declaration |
European Union | |
Under protective atmosphere packaged. , |
mandatory self-declaration of the |
Germany | |
Lot number , |
mandatory self-declaration of |
Germany | |
Best |
mandatory self-declaration of |
Germany, Austria | |
"Use by: 15.02.13 "
|
Use-by |
mandatory self-declaration of |
Germany, Austria |
"Treated after the harvest." |
Marking when using sprout inhibitors on potatoes , |
mandatory self-declaration of maximum |
Germany, Austria, Switzerland |
Health label , |
Approval authorities |
European Union | |
Statements on nutritional value, such as "sugar-free", "reduced fat", or health, such as "strengthens the immune system", "lowers cholesterol" |
Nutritional and health claims , nutritional and health claims |
voluntary self-declaration |
European Union |
Egg labeling , type of |
mandatory self-declaration |
European Union | |
Organization under rabbinical supervision Organization- |
international | ||
Halāl |
international | ||
Gütezeichen Deutsche Markenbutter , |
Monitoring body according to state law (e.g. agricultural research institutes) Butter |
Germany | |
Warning: No alcohol during pregnancy , |
voluntary self-declaration (compulsory in France) |
international | |
Gluten-free symbol , |
German Celiac Society (DZG) |
Germany | |
V label , |
European Vegetarian Union (EVU) |
Europe | |
Tooth male , |
Toothfriendly International , in Germany campaign tooth-friendly |
International |
dress
Mark |
Name , |
Sign giver , |
scope of application |
---|---|---|---|
"60% cotton / cotton / coton 40% polyester" |
Indication of raw material content , |
mandatory self-declaration in |
European Union |
Textile care symbols , |
voluntary self-declaration |
international | |
Shoe |
mandatory self-declaration |
European Union |
toy
License |
Name , |
Sign giver , |
Area of application |
---|---|---|---|
Warning "Not suitable for children under 3 years" , |
mandatory self-declaration |
European Union | |
“Spiel-gut” seal of approval , |
Working Committee for Children's Games and Toys e. V. association's |
Germany, Austria |
Detergents and cleaning agents
The labeling of detergents and cleaning agents has been regulated throughout Europe in the Detergent Ordinance, which has been implemented and expanded in Germany by the Washing and Cleaning Agents Act.
The information is mandatory
- the manufacturer or the person who puts the product on the market,
- a list of ingredients , listing the chemicals used,
- as far as necessary, how to use the agent and what precautions are required,
- the dosage of detergents depending on the water hardness soft, medium, hard and the level of soiling as well as the yield in the number of washing machine loads with medium water hardness,
- an indication of where to get a full data sheet on the ingredients.
In addition, general labeling requirements apply, for example with regard to warnings and instructions for use from chemicals law and the Ordinance on Hazardous Substances .
License |
Name , |
Sign giver , |
Area of application |
---|---|---|---|
@ www.xxxx.de (inkl. Rezepturinformation Verbraucher)
|
Reference to published list of ingredients , |
mandatory self-declaration of the |
European Union |
Datenblatt med. Personal: 0800/380 xxxx
|
Reference to data sheet for medical personnel , |
mandatory self-declaration of the |
European Union |
UBA 1495 0028
|
UBA number , |
Voluntary self-declaration (mandatory until 2005) |
Germany |
electronics
Electrical devices , i.e. devices that are supplied either with mains voltage or battery or via USB cable, must comply with various labeling regulations in the European Union. Information regulated throughout the EU may include a .:
- Manufacturer information
- crossed out garbage can , the device must not be disposed of with household waste ( WEEE directive)
- CE marking , for electrical devices regulated in RoHS
Other international marks:
- ARIB - Japan
- A-Tick Mark as a sign of conformity with Australian telecommunications and EMC standards, e.g. B. on landline telephones
Will be replaced by RCM from March 1, 2016. - AS (Australian Standards Association) - Australia
- ANATEL (Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações) - Brazil, telecommunications equipment
- BABT (British Approvals Board for Telecommunications)
- BEAB (British Electrical Approval Board)
- BSI - British Standards Institution. The symbol is colloquially called "Kite Mark" because it is reminiscent of a paper kite .
- BSMI (Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection) - Taiwanese product safety standard and electromagnetic compatibility, based on CNS standard
- C-Tick Mark with a letter and a combination of digits to the right as a sign of conformity with Australian EMC standards, e.g. B. on products with IEEE 802.11 or Bluetooth
Will be replaced by RCM from March 1, 2016. - CCC is the abbreviation for China Compulsory Certification
- CEBEC - Belgium
- A circle made up of two round arrows with a small "e" or a number in the middle as a symbol for compliance with the Chinese RoHS directive . The number indicates the usual useful life from the date of manufacture.
- Committee for Electrotechnical Belgium European Community (CEBEC)
- CENELEC Electronic Components Committee (CECC)
- Conformity Certification of Electrical Equipment (CCEE) - China
- CNC (Comisión Nacional de Comunicaciones) - Argentina
- COFETEL (Comisión Federal de Telecomunicaciones) - Mexico, Telecommunications Equipment
- CPS (Singapore Consumer Protection Registration Scheme) - Security standard in Singapore awarded by SPRING Singapore (Standards, Productivity and Innovation Board).
- CRT (Comisión de Regulación de Telecomunicaciones) - Colombia, telecommunications equipment
- CSA - A three-quarter circle with the letters SA inside as a CSA designation, Canadian Standards Agency
- DIN - German Institute for Standardization
- DEMKO (Danmarks Elektriske Materiel Kontrol) - Denmark
- EAC - Eurasian conformity for placing on the market in the Eurasian Economic Union
- EK - Korea, based on K standard
- ENEC mark - European Norms Electrical Certification
- ETSI - Europe
- FCC mark on communication devices such as radios, televisions, computer accessories - USA
- Giteki - Japan, based on Radio Law 38-6-1
- GOST - GOSSTANDART, Russian certificate
- GS as an abbreviation for tested safety
- Circle with the letters ETL inside as Intertek (formerly ETL) marking
- House with chimney and arrow pointing inwards (from right to left) or - use only indoors, not outdoors
- IC - Industry Canada
- ICC (Import Commodity Clearance) - Philippines
- INMETRO (Instituto Nacional de Metrologia, Normalização E Qualidade Industrial) - Brazil
- IMQ (Istituto Italiano del Marchio di Qualità) - Italy
- IRAM (Instituto Argentino de Normalización y Certificación) - Argentina, also called S-Mark
- KCC (Korea Communications Commission) - Korea, includes electromagnetic compatibility, radio and telecom
- KEMA - Holland
- KEPDIRGEN - Indonesia, for telecommunication equipment. Issued by DGPT (Directorate General of Post and Telecommunications)
- KETI (Korean Testing Laboratories) - Korean test mark
- MET
- MITI - today METI (Ministry of Economy, Trade & Industry), Japan
- MTC (Ministerio de Transportes Comunicaciones) - Peru, based on CISPR and IEC standards
- NAL (Network Access License) - China, for communication technology
- NCC (National Communications Commission) - Taiwan
- NEMKO (Norges Elektriske Materiellkontroll) - circle with an N inside, symbol of the Norwegian NEMKO, which carries out product safety tests and EMC tests.
- NF - Awarded by LCIE on behalf of AFNOR, France
- Ninsho - Japan, based on Radio Law 38-24-1
- NOM (Norma Oficial Mexicana) - Mexico
- NTC (National Telecommunications Commission) - Thailand, for telecommunications equipment
- ÖVE - Austrian Association of the Electrical Industry
- PS (Philippine Standard) - Philippines
- PSE (Product Safety Electric Appliance and Material) - Japanese product safety mark, based on DENAN standard
- Regulatory Compliance Mark (RCM) - marking valid from March 1st, 2016 for conformity with the Australian ACMA standard and for electrical safety
- ЯU - UL registered
- SABS Mark of Approval (South Africa)
- SAE Society of Automotive Engineers
- SEMKO - Svenska Electriska Materielkontrollanstalten, circle with an S inside, sign of the Swedish ETL SEMKO (former Electrical Testing Laboratory), which carries out product safety tests and EMC tests.
- SETI - Finnish marking, circle with FI inside
- SEV - Swiss Electrotechnical Association
- SIRIM - Malaysia, based on IEC
- SRRC (State Radio Regulatory Committee) - China
- SUPTEL (Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones) - Ecuador, telecommunications equipment
- TÜV
- UL - American certification, similar to VDE certification
- VDE - Association of electrical engineering, electronics and information technology
- Voluntary Control Council for Interference (VCCI) - Japan
- WiFi certified, for example on notebooks with built-in WiFi
- WPC (Wireless Planning and Coordination Wing) - India, wireless data transmission
In addition, there is information about the input voltage (for example 100 - 240 V), the type of input voltage (~ or =), the max. Current (for example 1.3 A) and for devices that are operated with alternating voltage, the mains frequency (for example 50-60 Hz).
Seal of quality and approval
There are a large number of seals of quality and test seals that can be used to indicate the special qualities of a product and compliance with technical or environmental standards outside of the legally required labeling.
Other markings
- Industrial labels in the industrial manufacturing process
- Trademark, legally protected sign to differentiate between goods of different brands, see brand (law)
- Nameplate , marking of technical devices according to the regulations of monitoring institutions or according to the rules of a branch
literature
- Rüdiger Wollmann: Goods labeling , chapter 34 in: Tilo Pfeifer, Robert Schmitt (editor) Masing Handbook Quality Management , Carl Hanser Fachbuchverlag Munich Vienna, 6th revised edition (2014), ISBN 978-3-446-43431-8
- Albert Mergelsberg: Gestatten Wirtschaft, Winkler 2007, ISBN 3-8045-9528-6
- Frieder Rubik, Cornelia Weskamp: Consumer protection through product labeling . In: iöw (Ed.): Series of publications by the IÖW . No. 98/96 , 1996, ISBN 3-926930-94-2 ( PDF ). (Rubik 1996)
- W. Konrad, D. Scheer: Limits and possibilities of consumer information through product labeling . In: BfR Science . 2010, ISBN 3-938163-48-8 ( PDF ).
Web links
- Summaries of EU legislation - labeling and packaging of products. European Commission, accessed October 31, 2012 .
- Silke Schwartau: The consumer center informs: How credible is the food labeling? , June 27, 2013, Food & Health Academy ( SoSe 13), Lecture2Go, Uni Hamburg
Individual evidence
-
↑ so for example
- in food law, see Food Information Ordinance, Art. 2 (1) j, and Food Labeling Ordinance, Section 3 ,
- similar to the labeling of cosmetics, see labeling of cosmetic products. (PDF; 46 kB) State Office for Agriculture, Food Safety and Fisheries Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, May 5, 2009, accessed on February 22, 2013 . ,
- or for food contact materials, see z. B. Leaflet Information on general requirements and the labeling of food contact materials. (PDF; 95 kB) Chemical and Veterinary Investigation Offices Baden-Württemberg, January 1, 2006, accessed on February 22, 2013 .
- ↑ Rubik 1996, p. 2; see also Duden labeling
- ↑ Rubik 1996, chap. 2.1
- ↑ Container labeling. Metallurgy Association of the German Glass Industry (HVG), accessed on March 9, 2013 .
- ↑ Jürgen Kohlberg: glass sign. In: Code-Cracker, Lexicon of Codes, Symbols, Abbreviations. Retrieved March 9, 2013 .
- ↑ Directive 75/107 / EEC of the Council of December 19, 1974 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to bottles as measuring containers
- ↑ Regulation (EC) No. 1935/2004 on materials and objects that are intended to come into contact with food at EUR-Lex
- ↑ Aerosol Packaging Ordinance , Section 5
- ↑ Juan R Palerm: Guidelines for Making and Assessing Environmental Claims . Ed .: European Commission . December 2000 ( PDF ).
- ↑ Returnable bottle = returnable bottle? (No longer available online.) Federal Ministry for the Environment, archived from the original on March 26, 2014 ; Retrieved November 17, 2012 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Jurica Dolić, Jesenka Pibernik, Iva Bilušić: Consumer Interpretation of Recycling Symbols Used for Printed Products . In: International Scientific Conference Management of Technology - Step to Sustainable Production, Conference Proceedings . Rovinj, Croatia 2010, ISBN 978-953-7738-09-9 ( HTML abstract ).
- ↑ Compliance with regulation 1223/2009 on Cosmetic Products - COLIPA Guidelines on Cosmetic Product Labeling. (PDF; 1.2 MB) COLPIA The European Cosmetics Association, December 15, 2011, accessed on February 17, 2013 .
- ↑ 2006/647 / EG: Commission recommendation of September 22, 2006 on the effectiveness of sunscreens and the manufacturer's information on this
- ↑ https://www.blv.admin.ch/blv/de/home/lebensmittel-und-ernaehrung/lebenslösungenicherheit/naehrwertinformationen-und-kennzeichnung.html
- ↑ https://kl.zh.ch/internet/gesundheitsdirektion/klz/de/fragen_rechner/Lebensmittel/daten_kennzeichnung_vorverpackte_lm.html
- ↑ Ulrich Schwank: Product variety of butter, quality levels (commercial classes), butter types and labeling. Bavarian State Office for Health and Food Safety, January 24, 2012, accessed on January 11, 2013 .
- ↑ Toothfriendly Labeling Guide for Foods and Drinks. (PDF; 1.3 MB) (No longer available online.) Toothfriendly International, archived from the original on April 25, 2012 ; Retrieved February 17, 2013 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Chemicals policy and pollutants, REACH - detergents and cleaning agents - labeling. Federal Environment Agency, January 17, 2012, accessed on March 15, 2013 .
- ↑ Chemicals Policy and Pollutants, REACH - Detergents and Cleaning Agents - Frequently Asked Questions. (No longer available online.) Federal Environment Agency, May 10, 2012, archived from the original on March 15, 2013 ; accessed on March 16, 2013 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ a b Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act - ElektroG, Section 9 and Appendix 3
- ↑ Approval Symbols: Which countries use which symbols and other stuff ...
- ↑ Product Approval Markings ( Memento of the original from October 13, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ acma.gov.au