Every packaged product sold in India carries a set of declarations required by law. Name and address of the manufacturer or packer, net quantity, maximum retail price, month and year of manufacture or packing, and consumer care details are among the familiar ones. Food products have additional labelling requirements, and medicines have their own. While much of this information is printed in the artwork, several items change from batch to batch and must be added on the production line. That makes your coding equipment a compliance tool, not just a printer.
Note: requirements are updated from time to time, so always confirm the current rules that apply to your product with a qualified advisor.
Static Versus Variable Information
Static information, such as the brand name, ingredients and manufacturer address, rarely changes and belongs in the printed artwork. Variable information, such as batch number, date of manufacture, best before or expiry date and sometimes MRP, changes regularly and is printed during production by a coding machine. Some companies also print net quantity on the line when one pack design is used for several weights.
Why Errors Happen
Coding errors are surprisingly common. Typical causes include:
- Operators forgetting to update the date at the start of a shift
- Wrong batch number typed after a changeover
- Faded or incomplete codes due to printer faults
- Codes printed in the wrong position and overlapping artwork
- Codes that rub off during transport
Any of these can lead to recalls, rejected consignments or penalties.
Building Error-Proofing Into the Line
Modern coding machines offer features that reduce mistakes:
- Automatic date calculation from the printer’s internal clock, including best before dates calculated from shelf life
- Message selection by product code, so operators choose a product rather than typing text
- Password protection for changing messages
- Confirmation screens at changeover
Where the stakes are higher, a vision system after the coder can read every code and reject packs where the text is missing, incomplete or incorrect.
Choosing Durable Codes
The code must stay readable until the product is consumed. Consider how packs are handled. Bottles stored in chilled conditions develop condensation, pouches rub against each other in cartons and oil products may smear surfaces. Select inks, ribbons or laser coding that suit these conditions, and test codes for rub resistance.
Placing Codes Clearly
Reserve a clear area of the pack for variable codes. Codes printed over dark graphics are difficult to read, which can be treated as non-compliance. Work with your design team to plan this area.
Record Keeping
Keep records of codes printed for each batch, including sample packs. If a question arises later, you can show exactly what was printed and when. Some coding systems store print logs automatically.
Export Packs Need Extra Care
If you ship abroad, importing countries may require different date formats, languages or additional information. Store separate coder messages for export packs so they cannot be confused with domestic ones.
Training Your Team
Equipment helps, but people still run the line. A short checklist at shift start, including verifying the date, batch and price on the first pack, catches most errors before they leave the factory.
Hilden supplies coding and inspection systems that help manufacturers print accurate, durable declarations. If you want to reduce coding mistakes on your line, the team can recommend practical upgrades for your existing setup.
