By Kat McDaniel, Principal at MEDiAHEAD

Deceptive Labeling: Food for ThoughtSince we entered the packaging and labeling industry, I have been fascinated and horrified by deceptive labeling on popular products that I see every day in the grocery store.

If you peruse any aisle, you will see all kinds of food labels touting products as being “healthy choices.” Cholesterol-free, gluten-free, natural, whole-grain and non-GMO, my favorite – no added sugar are just a few examples.

But is it actually healthier?

Many consumers believe these claims mean the food they are purchasing is healthier for them and their family. When what it really means is the companies advertising these products are taking advantage of the lack of understanding of the public to increase their profit.

“The supermarket is full of misleading food marketing, all of which is aimed at unsuspecting customers who simply want to purchase healthy foods for their family,” according to the US Food and Drug Administration. “Unfortunately, consumers don’t always have a good understanding of the verbiage used on the labels.”

The term NATURAL is another one that stands out to consumers.

Deceptive Labeling: Food for ThoughtCurrently, there is no official definition of natural. Consumers may pay more for the product with the natural label claim even though it is no different from the product next to it without the natural label claim.

Although there is an FDA front-of-package labeling initiative to combat misleading food-marketing practices, it will take years and possibly even decades to overcome all the inappropriate and misleading claims.

Educate yourself, learn about ingredients and read the ingredients on every package. I’ve been following Bobby Parrish, who has some excellent tips to help you correctly read labels at the grocery store!

You can find him on Facebook or @bobbyparish on Instgram.

By Kat McDaniel, Principal at MEDiAHEAD

MEDiAHEAD: Can SleevingMEDiAHEAD works locally with craft beverage brand owners of all sizes. And we work in markets that include energy drink, craft beer, kombucha, coffee and cannabis-infused beverages.

Why should you use can sleeving instead of printing on cans?

Direct can printing can limit the color and design of your can, while sleeves provide a 360-degree high-resolution graphics coverage with a full-spectrum of colors, along with tactile finishes such as matte, gloss and foil treatments.

Because MEDiAHEAD is local for the Kansas City Metro, we can offer quicker turnaround times. Using a shrink sleeve can get your product to market in a fraction of the time required for a printed can – usually a few weeks instead of several months.

Can sleeves are printed on the inside of the film, providing protection against scratches and scuffs that can occur during production and transportation.

When bringing a product to market, can sleeves can be done for a much lower minimum. MOQs can be in the truckloads for printed cans, while sleeved cans can be ordered in quantities as low as 500, allowing you to test and respond to your market.

You will never have to discard a printed can because the can printing is obsolete. Sleeves can also be used to cover up existing printed cans on obsolete inventory, turning a loss into a money maker.

If you would like to talk about how we can help you with your can sleeving needs, please call us!

MEDiAHEAD: Can Sleeving MEDiAHEAD: Can Sleeving