Packaging Design and Labelling Services in India

Aesthetic-based or cost-driven packaging designs that are not evaluated through structural engineering design lead to poor packaging solutions that perform poorly during transport, resulting in damaged products and inefficient handling throughout India's tough logistics system, where the challenges posed by the change in temperatures, exposure to humidity, poor road networks, and handling within the logistics chain cannot be captured by laboratory-based designs. At IMARC Engineering, we approach structural packaging design from an engineering standpoint, where the structural design is determined based on the analysis of the physical and chemical properties of the product, stresses imposed by the distribution channel, requirements for materials to be used, and retail or online handling to give a packaging solution that protects the product optimally while using the least amount of materials.

Labeling Non-Conformity in India requires parallel disclosure before all regulatory agencies, FSSAI for labeling food products, Legal Metrology Department for compulsory disclosure for pre-packed goods as per Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for labeling BIS certified goods, Central Drug Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) for labeling medicines and cosmetics, and destination country regulatory authorities for labeling export products. All regulatory authority labeling requirements have to be met simultaneously in one label without any discrepancies or omissions, an intricate process that general graphic designers who lack knowledge of regulatory requirements cannot handle effectively. IMARC Engineering provides labeling standards that fulfill all regulatory agency requirements at the same time. The compliance of the labeling requirements is verified against the latest edition of each relevant regulation before finalization of the artwork.

Material selection for packaging optimised to favour one criterion, generally the unit material cost, almost always results in packaging that offers poor product protection, is non-compliant with food contact or primary pharmaceutical packaging material regulations, results in too much packaging waste thereby flouting the Plastic Waste Management Rules, or logistics inefficiencies resulting in an increase in overall costs despite the reduction in material costs. IMARC Engineering performs multi-criteria material selection for packaging by looking at barrier effectiveness compared to required product shelf-life criteria, compliance with food contact and pharmaceutical primary material regulations, recyclability/recycled content compared to extended producer responsibility requirements, unit material cost versus total packaging cost accounting for waste, damage, and logistics costs, and availability of suppliers in the Indian packaging material market.

The Plastic Waste Management Rules of India of 2016, including their amendment of 2022, enforce progressive restrictions on single-use plastics, requirements for minimum recycled content in plastic packaging, and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), whereby manufacturers and importers must be registered with CPCB and report the volume of their plastic packaging along with complying with plastic waste collection and recycling targets. The failure to comply with EPR will result in financial penalties along with reputational risk that has become increasingly visible with respect to buyers and trading partners evaluating supply chains for sustainable practices. IMARC Engineering provides sustainable packaging solutions that satisfy the requirements of PWM Rules through proper material selection and EPR compliance documentation.

The labelling and packaging rules for Indian producers who are sending packaged goods for exports to other markets will be different from what is applicable domestically and will vary according to the destination country in terms of adding complexity to the exporters' business operations. The EU rules related to food product labelling require the use of specific format for allergen declaration, origin labelling, and nutritional value. Similarly, the FDA rules relating to food products and pharmaceuticals require a different format, font size, and declaration order on the label. On the same lines, GCC rules require mandatory use of Arabic language on product labels. IMARC Engineering prepares labelling specification rules according to export markets' requirements.

he packaging designs which have not undergone any physical test based on appropriate standards may lead to in-market failures. The failure may result from product damage due to the movement process, seal failure leading to compromising on the safety and shelf life of the products, label failure causing issues of regulatory non-compliance, and failure of moisture and oxygen barrier resulting in early deterioration of the product. IMARC Engineering includes packaging testing as a step in the process of design development. They conduct tests to measure physical performance, mechanical performance, and barrier performance according to the applicable IS standards, ISTA test methods for transport testing, and the stability of the product. The tests are carried out prior to the packaging artwork completion and packaging tooling.