17 May, 2011: Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) manufacturers in South Africa run the risk of being heavily-fined for inconsistent and unreadable product packaging barcodes, warns industry-leading labelling solutions provider, Labelpak.

Labelpak director Mark Sherriff points out that in-house barcode verification is vitally-important in today’s consumer-focused economy, and that companies that are not in compliance with these stringent rules can face a fine of up to R100 per product that contains an unreadable barcode.

“Barcode printing can significantly vary with the slightest changes in the substrate, ink or the humidity and temperature levels in the printing room. It is; therefore, important to use an in-house verification system on the first print off the press and on the intermittent production cycles through the job, in order to ensure that the barcode meets all necessary quality requirements set out by the South African Numbering Association and the Consumer Council of South Africa,” he explains.

In addition to a heavy penalty, Sherriff notes that a faulty barcode may ultimately lead to the demise of a brand. “A product which jams the scanner at a supermarket checkout causes embarrassment to the client and the teller, as a result of causing delays in the queue,” he continues. “What’s more, this negative experience may prompt the client not to return to that particular store, and avoid that product in the future. This can result in serious consequences for the shop, and for the manufacturer of the brand.”

Sherriff notes that manufacturers of aesthetically-pleasing products, such as liquor and cosmetics, are particularly prone to neglecting barcode quality. He points out that the two most common barcode errors in the South African industry are as a result of truncation - whereby the recommended size of the barcode is diminished, and also incorrect spacing in the quiet zone, which is the empty space between the first and last bar in the barcode, and can result in scanning failure. 

“Owing to the fact that the barcode is the least attractive part of the label, many manufacturers diminish the barcode down to 70% of its recommended size, in order to occupy less room on the label. This is a dangerous mistake, as reduced barcodes are prone to failure,” explains Sherriff. “With regards to the quiet zone, printers and packaging designers often make the mistake of not allocating the required space for that area of the barcode. This too results in poor or unreadable barcodes.”

Sherriff points out that both the label printer and the product manufacturer are liable for the quality of the barcode. “It is the responsibility of the label printer to inform the client if the barcode is not compliant. Following this recommendation, it is then the responsibility of the manufacturer to ensure that the correction is implemented accordingly.”

What’s more, Sherriff notes that Labelpak is fully-geared to assist all clients with their barcode requirements, as the company manufactures its own printing plates; thereby, ensuring complete in-house control and responsibility.

“Labelpak has implemented systems and protocols for testing before and during production. The verification system used by Labelpak is highly-critical, and only accepts the highest-quality barcodes. This provides the customer with peace-of-mind that the products will be successfully-scanned,” he continues.

Sherriff notes that additional challenges faced in barcode printing include; print gain – a process whereby the bars become too thick, and spacing between the bars becomes too small, positioning of the barcode, creasing in packaging and contrast.

“There are limitations to what can be achieved on a particular label, and Labelpak endeavours to ensure that all clients are made aware that they must maximise their barcoding contrast and minimise print gain, which varies according to ink and substrates,” he continues. “Labelpak tests and calibrates for each substrate, and advises the client on the best process for their particular product.”

Colour combinations are another important consideration to take into account, notes Sherriff. “The barcode must be distinctly identifiable against the colours of the labelling, and black or blue colours are the best option. Red is the only colour that should never be used, as the infra-red scanner will not be able to read the barcode.”

Sherriff concludes by adding that barcode quality is just as important to the printer as it is to the product manufacturer. “Competitors scan each other’s barcode to test overall quality, as the print of a barcode illustrates the quality of an entire label. It is; therefore, vitally-important that top-priority is given to what is too often regarded as an insignificant portion of the label.”