In Philip Pullman’s fantasy novel “The Amber Spyglass,” the third book in the “His Dark Materials” trilogy, physicist Mary Malone famously said, “People are too complicated to have simple labels.” In the consumer packaged goods (CPG) market, the same can be said as established and emerging brands look to stand out on crowded store shelves.
As brand owners look to differentiate themselves, data suggests they are turning to various labeling solutions. Cleveland-based The Freedonia Group reported in its June 2015 report “Labels” that demand for labels in the United States is expected to increase 3.8 percent annually through 2019 to $19.7 billion. At 5.4 percent growth, in-mold labeling is projected to have the highest annual increase from 2014 to 2019. However, the next label category with the highest growth during that time period is stretch, sleeve and heat-shrink at 4.9 percent annually, the market research firm forecasts.