PETpla.net Insider 10 / 2017

LABELLING PET planet Insider Vol. 18 No. 10/17 www.petpla.net 34 European label market growing primarily in the IML and shrink label sector Message on a bottle Advertising, information and an overview: labels are indispensable in logistics and whole- sale. Like the packaging market as a whole, labels are continually updated for new prod- uct units and technical innovations. “New trends and regulations in the packaging sector, such as recycling or RFID tags, influence this special market,” explains Oliver Kutsch, Managing Director of market research institute Ceresana. The company forecasts that in Europe the demand for paper and plastic labels will grow annually by around 1.6% in the coming eight years. In different countries, the use of labels primarily follows trends in the individual consumer goods sec- tors. Changes to typical consumer patterns, substitution effects and new trends in packaging methods are reflected here indirectly in the consumption figures for labels. The current Ceresana Study is therefore investigating the trends of individ- ual sectors in 21 country profiles. Throughout Europe, plastic labels can be of use primarily in the cosmet- ics and pharmaceuticals sectors, as well as on bottled water and foods. Shrink labels showing greatest growth Manufacturers of In-Mould Labels (IML) and shrink sleeve labels (SSL) are particularly delighted by growing sales. IM labels are mainly made from stand- ard plastics like polypropylene or polyethylene-HDPE but hybrid plas- tics are also produced especially for this application. Where premium surfaces or maximum use of display space are important for the product, IM labels can be the right choice: by embedding them in the prod- uct, they remain well protected and cannot be damaged during trans- port or at other points along the logistics chain. IM labels and pack- aging methods can be created from the same plastic, which enables comprehensive and trouble-free recycling. For example, SSL made from PET can be shrunk machine direction oriented 360° onto PET bottles, thus reducing costs for the production and recycling process. Shrink labels can offer unique shapes and printed motifs over very large surfaces. They are therefore becoming ever more popular, primar- ily in the food, drinks, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals sectors. Market researchers from Ceresana expect that across Europe, the demand for shrink labels will grow by around 3.3% per year. PET supplanting PVC It is the desired properties and the budget that ultimately determine label material. PVC has long been the first choice for shrink labelling – despite reservations from environ- mental activists and health associa- tions. Meanwhile, labels made from PETG, i.e. PET modified with glycol, are mostly superior as regards shrinkability, clarity and visual effect, but they are still more expensive. The trend towards shrink labels and the increasing abandonment of PVC ensure that among the plastic types used for labelling, PET is showing the strongest growth. www.ceresana.com Advantages of shrink sleeves include the decoration of the whole container and the ability to label also extraordinary shaped bottles. Here an example of a low-density PO composition (photo: UPM Raflatac)