Consumer safety is paramount. In addition to the rigorous performance testing, our food labels are tested and certified for use with food products.

 

FOOD LABELLING: Safety first

Shoplifting has plagued retailers for many years and in the grocery market, there has been a notable increase in the theft of food. The need to prevent shoplifting is well known and the latest labelling innovations are enabling stores to reduce shrinkage on a diverse range of merchandise – ensuring products are on shelf and available to be sold.

Today, one of the most important considerations when choosing an RF label to protect food against theft is the impact when the products are heated in the microwave. Whether the consumer is defrosting meat, melting cheese, or cooking a premium ready meal, there are significant fire risks associated with misusing standard RF labels.

Despite their resounding success, microwaves do have their challenges. According to the National Fire Protection Association in the US, there were an average of 6,600 fires caused by microwave ovens, with 120 civilian injuries – based on data from 2010 to 2014. The leading cause, according to John Drengenberg, the consumer safety director at Underwrites Laboratories, is popcorn and potatoes, but RF labels now pose a major threat.

 

A SOLUTION THAT PROTECTS

Checkpoint RF food labels have been developed to mitigate this risk and, when used as described in our guidelines, are microwave safe. The results speak for themselves and with more people now using microwaves than ever before, it’s vital to use suitable labels. And of the labels currently available, there is only one that should ever be used on fresh food products – Checkpoint’s. Ultimately, our solutions ensure products provide double protection – from thieves and microwaves. Finding the right suppliers to work with who can integrate into your processes and know the necessary measures to adhere to is a priority in today’s retail industry. We work closely with our customers to deliver solutions that meet their demands and their requirements. When it comes to food products, we can deliver a labelling solution that is applied at the point of manufacture or in-store. Our flexibility and expertise will add value to your business and ensure you can sell more produce.

 

SAFETY CONCERNS

The migration of certain compounds found within common adhesives through packaging films is a genuine concern, as the packaging materials do not always operate as a functional barrier. This migration is carefully monitored and controlled as part of Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004, and all products coming into contact with food have to conform to the limits defined within the regulation.

We offer two different options of food safe adhesive in this label range. One for Indirect Contact (where the labels are applied on the outside of the packaging), and one for Direct Contact where the labels are placed inside of the packaging and can come directly in contact with the food products.

At Checkpoint we use ISEGA to test our Food label range to certify that the labels comply with the necessary regulations and are therefore safe for use on food packaging. ISEGA are a globally recognised authority with over 50 years’ experience as a research institute for paper, cardboard, and food packaging.

More details can be found on their website (www.isega.de.com). Checkpoint’s entire food label range are certified by ISEGA, copies of the certificates can be provided upon request.

 

For more information on Checkpoint Systems’ Source Tagging programme.