The cannabis industry is growing at a rapid pace in the US and all over the world. Statista estimates an increase from $13.4 billion in 2020 to $33.6 billion by 2025.
Such a growth spurt is an excellent opportunity for the market. However, it also comes with challenges: as the market increases, so does the competition. And so do the regulations across cannabis products.
Increased competition comes with the obvious need to have your products stand out from the crowd. But regulations can put a dent in your plans, especially when it comes to how your branding is showcased on your labels.
Do you need to sacrifice branding for compliance? Not at all!
Learn how to avoid the three most common labeling mistakes and keep your branding competitive at the same time.
3 Cannabis Labeling Mistakes to Avoid
A mislabeled CBD product will cost you far more than re-printing the labels. Oftentimes, you will have to withdraw the products and/or pay hefty fines. So, before you send your labels to print, make sure you’re not making one of these mistakes:
1. Not Including All the Legally Required Information
Yes, label space is at a premium, especially since many cannabis products come in small packages. But this doesn’t mean you can afford to ignore the legal information you are required to print onto your labels.
To make things even murkier, the laws for labeling cannabis products aren’t always clear. They differ from state to state and they depend on the type of product you are selling. For instance, a cannabis-infused beauty product will have to adhere to the FDA rules for cosmetic labeling, while food products have to abide by the FDA food labeling guide.
There are, however, a few things that you absolutely must include on the labels of your CBD products:
- Suggested product use
- The amount of active CBD in the product, per serving or use
- Strain name
- CBD and THC percentage
- The net weight of the product
- The name of the manufacturer and/or distributor
- The batch and/or date code
- Suggested uses of the product
- Expiration date
If you’re not sure what the legal requirements for cannabis products in your state are, it’s important to consult with a lawyer so you don’t leave out essential information from your label.
2. Making Bold Health Claims
Despite major growth in recent years, the cannabis industry is still in its infancy. Unfortunately, aside from the massive opportunities this brings, it also comes with a shortage of peer-reviewed medical studies on the health benefits of cannabis.
This means that you can’t claim health benefits on your label. The FDA position on this matter: “It is currently illegal to market CBD by adding it to a food or labeling it as a dietary supplement.”
The federal law doesn’t recognize CBD as a dietary supplement or as a substance that can cure diseases (except for a single cannabis-based drug used to treat epilepsy). Thus, there is no way (yet!) you can legally mention health benefits on your cannabis products labels.
But you can mention other benefits that are health related. For instance, if your product is GMO-free or organic, you can highlight that on your label.
3. Adding a Separate Compliance Label Slapped Over the Branded Label
The surest way to ruin your label and your branding is to slap a basic, black-and-white compliance label over it. It’s been a common practice in the industry for years.
But it’s also a shame. After investing thousands of dollars in research, branding, and custom varnishes, a shoddy compliance label can ruin everything.
But we have good news: you don’t have to do this anymore! You can have your cake and eat it, too.
At Labeltronix, we have developed a proprietary solution designed to save your branding from the eye-harming compliance stickers. Dynamic Hybrid Labeling helps cannabis manufacturers create labels that include all the details needed to be compliant AND your branding elements on the same label.
How does it work? It’s straightforward: you just have to leave space on your label for the compliance information. When your products are ready to leave your facility, you print the compliance details you need right on the branded labels. You can do this from the convenience of your facility. Plus, if anything in the FDA regulations changes, you don’t have to throw away an entire batch of labels. You just have to make a few quick digital edits.
This flexibility comes with no sacrifices to your branding. You can still choose various finishes and features like:
- Hot stamping
- Gloss or matte finishes
- Various varnishes
- Embossing
It’s that simple to be compliant and stand out from the crowd.
You can read more about the best practices in labeling cannabis-infused products here. Need help with custom labels for cannabis products? We specialize in the industry. Talk to us, we’re always happy to help!
