While we’ve all heard the old adage “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” the labels on products are being judged by everyone who decides to either buy or not buy them. In fact, labels do a lot more for a product and its consumers than just stating what’s inside.

They can help shape people’s perceptions of your business which ties directly into your brand image and they help you stand out among your competitors.

Do you want to know what goes into creating a great supplement label? This guide is going to tell you everything you need to know.

Just follow along!

Designing Your Supplement Labels

When you’re creating and selling a new product, you want to make sure the label has a professional and appealing design along with all the important details a customer will need when choosing between purchasing your product over a competitor’s. Because of that, we are going to start this section off by sharing some important supplement label design tips with you.

Have a Marketing Strategy Before Starting the Design Process

The first step in creating an appealing label for your supplements is having an idea of how your marketing process will go. For instance, you are going to want to ask yourself questions like:

• What are my competitors doing that I can do better?
• Who is my target audience and what will appeal to them?
• What information on the label will make someone want to buy my product?

When you know the answers to these and similar questions, your communication with your label designer will be more goal based and productive. This will also provide them with the type of insight that will help you most.

Learn About Different Packaging Options

The package your supplement comes in can say a lot about your product and brand. So, you want to make sure you choose the one that fits with your strategy and branding the most in order to make a good first impression to new customers.

Here are some packaging examples:

Glass- Brands that use glass jars or bottles for their supplements are typically going for an all-natural or an apothecary look.

PETE Bottles- These bottles come in different color options, such as blue, clear, white, or amber. These often stand out against other labels on shelves.

HDPE Packages- Use this type of packaging if you want more of a clean, medicinal look.

Blister Cards- These might include multiple cards with individual doses already rationed out or just enough supplements for one-time use. Because the packaging adds an additional layer of protection and freshness, they often appeal to a higher-end market.

Packets- Packets are convenient for people who like to take their supplements when they are on the move. This also cuts back the need for measuring out how much to take.

Research Companies Prior to Outsourcing

Not everyone with a background in design can help you create a great label for your supplements.

For example, you may already work with a talented web designer who you’ve established trust and rapport with. But this person won’t have the knowledge that an experienced supplement label designer would have regarding things like FDA regulations.

Learn What Makes a Label FDA Compliant

If your labels aren’t FDA compliant, the FDA can take your product off the market and force you to create and print another round of labels. Needless to say, you will lose a lot of time and money in this process.

So, it’s important to know what should and shouldn’t go onto your labels before you get around to printing them. Don’t worry, we’ll go through some of the important key elements of FDA compliant labels in the next section.

What Makes an FDA Compliant Supplement Label?

Creating labels that are FDA compliant will prevent interruptions to your business processes and it will also help you establish trust with your customer base. But do you know exactly what labeling information helps a business accomplish these things?

Here’s what you should know:

Statement of Identity

The statement of identity on a supplement label is often mistaken for the brand name, but that isn’t correct. The statement of identity is actually a description of what the product is and it contains.

Some examples you may have seen on other labels are things like “Herbal Supplement” or “Bee Pollen Supplement.”

Quantity of Contents

When a person purchases a supplement, they should know how much of the product they are receiving. This can be done in a few different ways, such as using the weight, volume measure, or numerical count.

You will most commonly see the quantity listed as the numerical count where it reads like this: “100 Capsules.”

Warnings and Directions

If there is a warning needed for your product, it should be clearly printed on the label. For instance, some supplements shouldn’t be consumed by pregnant or nursing women.

There should also be directions if the supplement is to be taken at a certain time of day or with food.

Supplement Facts Box

This is where you’ll place the ingredient list, serving size, servings per container, and the amounts of ingredients per serving. The FDA specifies the exact requirements for this panel, including font size and much more; therefore it is important you learn the requirements and work with a designer and manufacturer that can help ensure all the legal requirements are met.

Contact Information

Include your company’s contact information on your labels. This includes an accurate company name, full address, and phone number.

You can also include your website or a customer service email.

FDA Disclaimer

If you plan to have any structure-function claims on your label, you need to have an FDA disclaimer linked to the claim. You will often see them linked via certain symbols like an asterisk or cross.

You can find the exact symbols and how to use them on the FDA site.

Are You Looking for a Label Designer?

Even if you have an excellent supplement line with high quality, life-altering ingredients, consumers still will judge your products based on the labels. This is why a great looking supplement label with that meets all of the FDA’s requirements is important.

To get the best possible outcome for your product, you need an established label designer and manufacturer on your side. Contact us for help creating supplement products, including label design, formulation, production and more.