47 January / February 2025 - Issue 352 www.printmonthly.co.uk LABEL PRINTING INVESTING IN LABEL TECHNOLOGY Capturing the attention of shoppers browsing the shelves, labels play a major part in buying decisions and consumer behaviour. Here, we look at the opportunities available to printers and the new technologies driving innovation in labelling While some areas of the print industry will see work levels fluctuate, one area where there is always solid demand is labels. A stroll down most supermarket aisles will demonstrate this, with numerous products carrying some form of printed label. What will also be evident while browsing the same shelves is the differing types of labels and how brands are now using this as a tool to draw the attention of consumers and even influence their buying behaviour. More attractive labels are more likely to catch the eye of the shopper and lead to a sale. Here, we explore some of the latest developments in label printing, catching up with several manufacturers about their solutions and gaining insight into the areas experiencing the most demand. Direct to Success First to offer advice is Nick Macfarlane, regional sales representatives in the UK and Ireland at Inkcups, a company which specialises in pad printing and industrial inkjet print equipment, supplies, and inks for the promotional, apparel, and industrial markets. Commenting on the labels market in general, Macfarlane says looking at the sector from a direct-to-object or directto-shape print perspective, within these spaces, then there is “tremendous scope for growth”. However, as with any disruptive technology, some of that growth may come at the expense of other kinds of labelling. “If you consider shrink sleeves as an example, direct-to-shape printing has the potential to replace many of these as people look for ways to do away with unnecessary single use plastic and make packaging easier to recycle. Similarly, direct-to-shape printing may also replace adhesive labels in some spheres as packaging producers look for ways to streamline production and reduce waste.” Building on this, Macfarlane picks out some of the areas of the market that print companies may want to focus on to win new work and grow their label print customer base. He points to spirits and liquor bottles as an example; while the majority still feature adhesive labels, the growing adoption of direct-to-object digital bottle decoration is already “inescapable”,
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