If you’re a health-conscious consumer or prefer to use at-home remedies, you’ll probably be familiar with the benefits of honey. Not only can honey be used as a natural sweetener, but its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties make it a popular option in certain medicinal situations. Despite the fact that honeybee colonies are struggling to survive, there are countless Americans who swear by the effectiveness (and deliciousness) of this nectar.
Over the past few years, there’s been an increased awareness surrounding the importance of bees. As a result of more widespread knowledge, consumers are now making more of an effort to support conservation organizations and producers of honey. But even though many customers might be inclined to purchase honey, makers still need to ensure their custom labels are visually enticing and provide the information customers want. Here’s what you need to know when designing your labels for honey and honey products.
What’s the Buzz From the FDA?
The FDA agrees with public domain reference materials on their definition of honey, which is described as “a thick, sweet, syrupy substance that bees make as food from the nectar of plants (or secretions of living parts of plants) and store in honeycombs.” If your product contains only honey, it can and should be labeled as such. Because honey is defined as a single ingredient food, the food labeling here does not need to contain an ingredient statement. However, the common name of this product may include its source, as is the case with “Clover Honey” or “Orange Blossom Honey.”
It’s essential to ensure that your product is labeled correctly. If your product contains a mix of honey and another sweetener, for example, you must factor this in when designing your label. In this particular scenario, your label would need to say that the product is a “blend of honey and corn syrup” and the ingredient statement would need to show all components in descending order of weight contained within the product. Since two-thirds of survey respondents use labels “often” to check how high or low a food is in calories and other substances, it’s essential to provide this detailed information when a product isn’t made purely of honey.
Even if a product contains only natural honey, you’ll need to be smart when creating your food and beverage labels. The Federal Fair Packaging and Labeling Act requires all food labels, including those for honey, to include the product weight (in ounces and grams) and the name and address of the producer. Make sure to comply with all federal and local regulations when designing your labels for honey and honey products to avoid costly delays and legal issues.
How to Make Your Labels Sweeter
Compliance will keep your products on store shelves — but it may not convince consumers to purchase them. You’ll need to address all regulations and ensure your labels really stand out.
For one thing, you’ll need to make sure that your labels fit nicely on your product containers. Whether you use plastic squeeze bottles or glass jars, you’ll need to keep size and shape in mind when designing your labels. Most makers will want to emphasize the natural aspects of their product, which might factor into the graphics and colors used in the design. You might even consider using transparent labels to show off the beautiful color of the product itself. There are also certain nutritional claims that may appear on honey labels, like “pure,” “natural,” “raw,” “organic,” or “pasteurized.” While some of these claims do have strict standards attached, others are not regulated. Be sure to conduct thorough research before deciding whether to include any of these descriptors in your label design. You may even want to include the year and the season in which your honey was produced; not only can this indicate shelf life, but it can also add a bit of a story to your label and allow consumers to connect with your brand.
With this information in mind, you’ll “bee” in a better position to create captivating and compliant labels for your honey and honey products. And by working with an experienced labeling company, your labels will create a real buzz for your brand.
