Print Labels vs. Electronic Labels: What Do Consumers Prefer?

We all know that the majority of consumers want to see GMO product label printing laws go into effect. We also know that customers want complete brand transparency before choosing to buy an item or not. And while smart labels or electronic labels could help to provide customers with even more nutritional information or product details, it turns out that the majority of consumers prefer print labels rather than electronic labels. Not convinced? Let’s discuss these interesting findings.

Product Label Printing Preferences

According to an article published by Just Label It, 89 percent of American voters support mandatory labelling laws. And while the growing trend of using QR codes and electronic labels could give shoppers the additional product information they’re looking for, the majority of consumers aren’t interested in using electronic labels. According to a poll conducted by The Mellman Group, 88 percent of consumers strongly prefer a printed product label over an electronic product label such as a QR code. In the poll, only 17 percent of respondents said that they’ve scanned a barcode to get additional product information, and only 16 percent have ever scanned a QR code.

Privacy Issues and Electronic Labels

The poll also showed that consumers are concerned about the safety of using electronic bar codes. According to the poll, shoppers are worried that brands may be able to gather private data from smartphone users—information that users don’t wish to share with companies. While this collected data would be useful to companies and brands who want to get to know their target audience, the majority of customers are against the idea. The article from Just Label It also discussed how electronic labels and QR codes are discriminatory since about one third of Americans don’t have reliable Internet service or smartphones that allow them to scan QR codes and electronic labels. If companies use electronic labels instead of traditional product label printing, about a third of shoppers may miss out on the chance to review important product information.

What Kinds of Labels Do Shoppers Want?

If shoppers don’t want electronic labels but they want to see mandatory GMO labelling—you may be wondering what you as a company can do to make everyone happy. According to Just Label It, product labels should be universally accessible so all consumers can access the important product label printing information while shopping with their families. So, what can your company do to please all of your customers? Consider offering customized product labels from SheetLabels.com, and include additional ingredient information on nutrition labels. If you run out of space, offer brochures or pamphlets next to your products on the shelf so shoppers can read more about your company and the products you offer, in case they’re interested in learning more. The only thing worse than not including enough information on your product labels is offering too much information that is impossible to read, so it’s important to make sure that your labels are highly readable by all of your valued customers. Ready to learn more about customizing your product labels