At the forefront are developments like Cool2Go labels, already adopted in the US, using DuPont’s innovative polyester film technology to keep refrigerated products from warming in the customer’s hands.  This labelling innovation takes the brand from simply being a visual identity on the bottle to being part of the overall customer experience.

With or without stay-cool technology, innovative self adhesive labels play a major role in ensuring that today’s beverage packaging has strong point of sale impact.

The continuing move to self adhesive labels for UK brewers follows recent developments in the US. Anheuser-Busch has played a leading role in the States and Coors is now adopting the same approach in the UK.  High impact self adhesives are also becoming more prevalent in the packaging of wines, spirits and fashionable pre-mixed beverages. 

Self adhesives enable innovative designs to be used, where wet glue formats would simply not compete.  Beer and drinks companies are increasingly using clear labels to give their bottle a distinctive contemporary look.  

Recent developments in print technology have also improved the image quality of self adhesives. High end print techniques such as foils, special inks and MetalFX provide a visually attractive label, able to fulfil brewers’ stringent brand values, with strong impact at the point of sale.  Screen print technology helps provides raised, tactile print finishes, including a recent label designed to replicate the feel of snake skin. 

Traditional wet glue labels are applied by using adhesive on the bottling line - a messy process, requiring significant set up and clean up times.  And as wet glue labels need to sit on the bottling line in a box or magazine each made specifically for a single label size and format, this process tends to limit the range of labels available.

By contrast, self adhesive labels are pre-coated with adhesive and applied to bottles from a carrier web.  So, the process is cleaner, involves less complex machinery and can quickly be adapted to all label sizes and formats.

A beverage bottle label has a long journey between bottling and sale.  It needs to survive significant changes in ambient temperature and humidity during the bottling process, transportation, warehousing and its on-shelf time. 

Wet glue labels suffer from the problems of drying out, peeling, tearing or falling off before they reach the customer.  However, the technical specification of self adhesive materials can be tailored to ensure that each label type is fit for its purpose. 

By using appropriate adhesives, self adhesive labels can even be applied to wet bottles on the line. Such innovations ensure that labels remain in prime condition up to the point of sale. 

The economics of self adhesives have been transformed with specialist label and packaging printers now able to produce high quality labels in economic short runs. This enables new product development managers and marketing managers to create striking ‘on brand’ labels for small product batches – for a seasonal promotion, to test with customers, or for a market trial.

Case Study:  Brewers  toast innovative self adhesive labels  

It is not just the larger multinational who are busy converting from wet glue to self adhesive labels.  Smaller independent brewers - who have always enjoyed a strong reputation for distinctive packaging - are now using the latest printing technologies to achieve the best packaging impact. 

Applying self adhesives is quicker and cleaner than traditional wet glue labels.  It also involves less complex machinery and can quickly be adapted to all label sizes and formats.

Chris Ellison MD of specialist label printers The OPM Group comments: “Smaller regional breweries have a strong reputation for distinctive packaging and have been quick to harness the benefits of self adhesive labels.”  

He adds: “Many brewers outsource their bottling to contract breweries, who tell us that self adhesives are more reliable at application and give their bottlers less down time on the production line.  The result is good for both the brewer and the bottler.”

Ellison says that there are also economies when producing self adhesive labels. “Unit costs are reduced because they can be printed, finished and die cut in a single process, minimising costs and wastage.” 

He adds: “The development of dual web printing processes also means that the body back and neck labels can be applied in one pass on the bottling line and labels perfectly index onto the bottles.  We also apply film coating to gives labels durability and ensure that they reach the shelf in prime condition.” 

The OPM Group has designed, printed and produced self adhesive labels for several regional breweries including Swindon-based Arkells.  Their Head Brewer Don Bracher says that self adhesives increase the brand impact of their bottles.

“The visual impact of self adhesive labels is significantly better than wet glue labels.  Yes, they are more expensive, but we think they are worth the additional investment. We now have labels with better colours, better branding and more customer appeal.”

He adds: “Beer bottles with self adhesive labels are able to be recycled in the same way as those with traditional labels, so innovative labelling does not get in the way of good recycling practice.”

Don Bracher adds: “We’re producing beer in non returnable bottles, so you have a situation where the bottle is pristine. It’s important for the label to look the very best it can.”

He adds: “Beer bottles with self adhesive labels are able to be recycled in the same way as those with traditional labels, so innovative labelling does not get in the way of good recycling practice.”