Packaging plays a vital role in product traceability. Required by regulations and/or specific standards, this takes the form of various details indicated directly on the packaging. Based on a report from the National Packaging Council, this article will answer two questions: what is this information and who is it for?
Packaging: A Medium for Product Traceability
It is present throughout all or part of the stages in the chain, from production to consumption. Packaging has logically been established as the preferred medium for all information related to product traceability.
Regulations and standards regarding traceability obligations provide for specific requirements based on product categories: food, medicine, toys, etc. Packaging must therefore be able to evolve in terms of the information it carries. In particular, depending on its destination and level of intrinsic security, this information can be of several types:
- visible;
- coded or invisible;
- chemical.
The Three Traceability Markers on Packaging
The markings applied to packaging do not all have the same purpose. While some are intended for the user, others offer a high level of security. Finally, others have more of a logistical and economic role.
1/ Visible Information on Packaging
So-called visible markers have two main objectives: to inform the consumer and to prevent counterfeiting. Three technologies are used for this purpose. First, serialization allows the product to be identified by a unique number. Next, the hologram is an adhesive label primarily used for luxury and pharmaceutical items, as well as spirits. Finally, the watermark is an impression integrated into the paper during its manufacture. The latter offers security guarantees regarding the official origin of the product that carries it.
2/ Packaging and Coded or Invisible Markers
Everyone knows it. The most famous coded marker is the barcode. Whether one-dimensional or two-dimensional, its purpose differs. A one-dimensional barcode is read with an optical scanner. Among other details, it carries information about the item’s origin and nature. It is also used by retailers to determine the sales price displayed at the checkout.
The two-dimensional barcode, commonly known as a “QR code” (Quick Response Code), is intended to direct the user to a source of additional information. Generally, it serves as a direct gateway to a website. It is most often readable using a smartphone.
Finally, the third type of coded marker used is invisible. This is the RFID tag, which stands for Radio Frequency Identification. As the name suggests, it is an electronic circuit capable of sending information to a compatible terminal. It can take various forms: card, label, token, etc. Thanks to RFID technology, a wealth of information can be read automatically during the storage, logistics, and sales stages. For example, it is possible to determine the product’s origin or the time it took to pass through each stage from manufacture to sale.
3/ Expert Markers Applied to Packaging
This technology is undoubtedly the most advanced and is based on the principle of chemical marking. Completely invisible because it is integrated directly into the material, it requires the use of specific tools to be deciphered. The information contained in these chemical markers is of several types: identification, traceability, etc. The main advantage is that they do not degrade and can be read throughout the product’s life cycle.
The Role of Packaging in Traceability
Packaging, supported by various marking techniques, addresses four key areas in terms of traceability:
- consumer health and safety;
- packaging recycling and end-of-life;
- information and communication for various stakeholders;
- uses and services throughout the process from production to consumption.
Traceability for Consumer Health and Safety
The markings on packaging can include specific warnings to protect physical integrity. They also provide information to the user about the nature of the materials used. Plastic is at the forefront: a code and an abbreviation placed inside a triangle specify the type of material used. For example, polypropylene is identified by the letters PP associated with the number 5.
Recycling and Packaging End-of-Life Management
By knowing the type of material the packaging is made of, its end-of-life can be better managed. If it is recyclable, this can be specified. If special precautions need to be taken, the information provided can also help anticipate them.
Packaging Traceability for Information and Communication
What could be more natural than using packaging to convey messages? From production to end-of-life, including the consumption stage, this medium is ideal for informing each stakeholder with specific information.
A distributor can thus verify the origin of the product they are about to sell, while the end consumer can, for example, check the expiration date. Every step of the supply chain, from the production process to delivery to the distributor, can finally be traced thanks to the information indicated on the packaging.
Packaging: A Top-Tier Logistics Partner
Packaging incorporates all data related to its journey. It is possible to know every stage it has passed through between production and sale. The time spent in each of these phases is also tracked. Finally, in the event of destruction before the end of the process, the quantity of waste generated is accessible through the various markings.
Packaging, therefore, has more than one trick up its sleeve and does not just protect the product. It also provides a reliable and reassuring history.
To learn more about Flexico’s waste management policy, visit the page Flexico, an eco-responsible actor.
