The importance of labeling in the supply chain during the pandemic

Labels have always been a fundamental element for the proper functioning of the supply chain. They are the ID card of each logistics unit, the guarantee for the consumer to see that the product complies with mandatory regulations for commercialization and, therefore, meets the necessary quality standards.

In the current health emergency situation, labeling has gained even more importance. The population is more aware regarding origin, composition, manufacturing conditions, the journey through the supply chain, recyclability, and in general any of the aspects considered in labeling, especially for food products and household consumer goods (household cleaning, personal hygiene, cosmetics).

Buying habits have changed significantly over the past year, with a very significant increase in online commerce. Therefore, distributing companies have also had to adapt, as well as the rest of the actors involved in the supply chain, including labeling suppliers.

Companies specialized in labeling, coding and marking systems, such as UBS, have adapted the installation of their equipment according to new health prevention requirements. Process automation, and providing an integrated service that minimizes human intervention, brings cost and time optimization, and ease when adapting any production line to market needs.

New consumption habits as a result of the pandemic

During the pandemic, besides the explosion of distance commerce, the demand for certain products, especially food and hygiene, experienced peaks much higher than usual. This posed a major challenge for the supply chain, which was able to respond optimally thanks to the efficiency of labeling systems.

Another sector overwhelmed by demand is pharmaceuticals; first for distributing protection and prevention elements such as masks, gloves, and hand sanitizers, and later for providing Covid-19 vaccines. We must not forget that any item traveling through the supply chain must be properly coded, a challenge the labeling industry has met with great effectiveness.

Technological innovation is a factor that helps overcome obstacles that years ago would have been hardly manageable. High precision printing equipment, like those from UBS, adaptable to any production line and capable of meeting the highest speed demands without compromising quality, is an indispensable tool to overcome the most complex challenges.

Challenges of the labeling industry

Among these, and although satisfactory solutions are already being provided, we must consider:

• The complexity of consolidating management of traceability, health and safety processes associated with the large increase in online commerce operations. In the automated supply chain, accuracy in information shared among all actors is crucial; and the element that transmits it is the label.
• Another major challenge is the standardization of the labeling process and the consolidation of automation that, given the expected increase in demand, avoids errors related to manual operations.
• RFID technology is an effective and agile solution to share information among the various agents involved in the supply chain. However, it requires the commitment of labeling suppliers.
• Sustainability. The increase in shipments and the need to respond quickly to demand cannot come at the expense of environmental commitment. On the contrary, sustainability will continue to be a priority. Therefore, environmentally friendly printing systems, like those proposed by UBS, are the best solution.