7 Common Packaging Errors & How to Avoid Them

Packaging errors can spell disaster for brands, resulting in costly recalls, regulatory issues, and other consequences. To avoid these mishaps, it's critical to understand common packaging errors and how you can avoid them. That's exactly what we cover in this guide.

Here, we explore the seven most common packaging errors, their consequences, and practical strategies to prevent them. We'll equip you with best practices to ensure accurate, high-quality packaging that bolsters your brand and pleases customers.

Table of Contents

• 7 of the Most Common Packaging Errors
• How to Avoid Packaging Errors: 3 Critical Best Practices

7 of the Most Common Packaging Errors

Let’s explore seven of the most common packaging errors that can undermine the integrity of a product and impact the overall customer experience.

#1. Spelling & Grammar Mistakes

Spelling and grammar mistakes are common and noticeable errors that can occur on packaging labels. These errors range from simple typographical errors to linguistic inaccuracies, impacting various industries. 

Examples of these errors include:

• Misspelled product and brand names
• Grammatical errors, including improper verb usage and punctuation
• Linguistic inaccuracies, such as incorrect translations

Unfortunately, these mistakes can have serious consequences. Misspelled product names can hinder product recognition, while incorrect translations can be offensive and culturally inappropriate.

Meticulous proofreading is crucial to prevent these errors and ensure accurate labeling that reflects professionalism and attention to detail.

#2. Incorrect Bar Codes, QR Codes, and SKUs

Bar codes, QR codes, and SKU errors can significantly impact product success. Common mistakes include:

• Misprints caused by fast printing speeds, incorrect image formats, or printer maintenance problems
• Customization errors, including poor color choices or obstructive designs
• Improper packaging placement, such as on curved surfaces or reflective materials

These errors can lead to inventory management problems, stock disorganization, product losses, shipment delays, chargebacks, fines, and damage to a company's reputation. 

To mitigate these risks, businesses should prioritize quality control, appropriate code customization, and strategic packaging placement. Regular code testing and validation are also necessary to ensure accuracy and reliability.

Mox, the 3-in-1 packaging artwork management platform, offers a barcode reader that checks to ensure your codes scan correctly before packaging goes to print. Tools like Mox are useful in eliminating bar code, QR code, and SKU malfunctions.

#3. Missing Nutrition Information

Nutrition information is crucial in food labeling as it enables consumers to make informed dietary decisions. However, missing or incorrect nutrition details can lead to significant labeling errors, putting brands at risk of non-compliance with regulatory bodies like the FDA.

The most common errors include the following:

• Omitting necessary nutrition details
• Incorrect serving size calculations
• Incomplete nutrient disclosure
• Allergen misrepresentation
• Wrong font size

Food manufacturers must implement stringent control measures to prevent these errors. Adopting automated technologies and conducting regular label inspections at each production stage can ensure that complete and accurate nutrition information is displayed. As a result, brands can maintain compliance with FDA requirements.

#4. Color Inconsistencies

Color inconsistencies on packaging labels present significant challenges for brands. These inconsistencies can harm a brand's image and consumer perception, reducing product appeal. Visual evaluation for color matching and multiple copies of color data throughout production contribute to the problem.

To tackle color inconsistencies, brands should follow these key steps:

• Digitize color standards and provide access to original color data for precise color matching from design to printing
• Ensure brand guidelines indicate the correct color palette, including any gradients to be used for logos and fonts
• Facilitate effective communication among supply chain members through digital color libraries for alignment
• Monitor results using artwork approval software to verify and maintain color consistency

By proactively addressing color inconsistencies, brands can enhance the visual impact of their packaging labels, uphold brand integrity, and deliver consistent consumer experiences. Mox offers advanced proofing inside its Review tool so you can double and triple-check ink density and color separations.

#5. Missing Fonts

Fonts are vital in expressing a brand's personality on product labels. Some common errors include "missing" fonts or labels printed using incorrect fonts. Unfortunately, these mistakes can lead to design and messaging issues.

To address this, consider the following:

• Choose fonts that align with your brand's personality and message, avoiding excessive variations that can create visual clutter
• Stick to a few fonts from the same family to maintain a cohesive and harmonious look
• Establish a clear hierarchy by varying the weight and placement of text, highlighting important information, and facilitating easy reading
• Ensure text is easily readable by selecting appropriate sizes, spacing, and color contrasts that enhance visibility and comprehension

Brands should also use artwork approval software that includes tools for finding and checking fonts. For example, Mox includes the Font Finder tool, which allows users to quickly identify the fonts used, ensuring elements are consistent.

#6. Legal Requirement Mistakes

Legal requirement mistakes can occur in packaging when certain items or information are missing, leading to non-compliance with labeling regulations. Here are some common legal requirement mistakes that can occur:

• Failure to clearly state the identity of the product
• Missing manufacturer, packer, or distributor details
• Missing net quantity of contents
• Missing country of origin for imported goods

To avoid these mistakes, it's critical to understand the legal requirements for your specific product. Properly addressing these legal requirements contributes to accurate and informative packaging that meets regulatory standards.

#7. Blurry or Pixelated Images

Blurry or pixelated images on packaging can significantly affect sales and tarnish a brand's perception, especially in visually driven industries like food or cosmetics. These image mistakes often originate from print errors or file errors.

Typical issues include:

• Faulty plates or errors in saving the PDF file
• Use of low-resolution images

To avoid these errors, brands should prioritize image resolution. Vector images are often solid, maintaining sharpness regardless of size alterations. Regularly maintain an image resolution of at least 300 dpi, but consider using 600 dpi or higher for optimal results.

How to Avoid Packaging Errors: 3 Critical Best Practices

Packaging errors can be costly and detrimental to a brand's reputation. To minimize the risk of such mistakes, implementing best practices is essential. Here are three steps you can use to reduce packaging errors.

#1. Implement Packaging & Artwork Management Software

Packaging errors can undermine a brand, but they can be minimized with the right tools. Mox, a packaging and artwork management software, streamlines the complex packaging process.

It enhances workflow visibility, speeds up content production, and provides real-time project insights to prevent potential errors. Mox offers advanced proofing, file version comparisons, and accurate change tracking.

Along with an integrated digital asset management system and PDF markup and annotation features, Mox helps maintain error-free packaging.

Why our customers love Mox: Mox includes a wide range of proofing tools that our customers use to create error-free packaging. For example, Mox customers often use the built-in proof reports to pull complete histories of all annotations and approvals in PDF format. They then upload this PDF as a reference file to the project as a complete log of requested changes and approvals. Using these reports, not a single change request is missed.

#2. Centralize Packaging Artwork Feedback & Requirements

With artwork approval software like Mox, you can centralize packaging artwork feedback and requirements, eliminating scattered communication and the risk of missing important information. 

Stakeholders can directly attach feedback to the artwork, facilitating clear communication and collaboration. Plus, packaging requirements can be added to the project as reference files and viewed right beside the artwork under review. These capabilities not only improve efficiency but also reduce errors.

#3. Adopt Advanced Proofing Steps

Adopting advanced proofing steps like font checking, color separation review, and artwork version comparison ensures quality and consistency. Mox's Font Finder and PDF & Image Measurement tools make these steps easy to implement, reducing errors and ensuring professional packaging outcomes.

Avoid Packaging Artwork Disasters With Mox

Packaging errors can be costly, but they're avoidable with the right strategies and tools. Advanced proofing tools like Mox can streamline your packaging process while ensuring accuracy and enhanced collaboration.

Mox’s intuitive interface provides comprehensive features, from advanced proofing to centralized feedback. It allows you to annotate, verify, measure, and compare packaging assets within a single platform. These features can be game-changers, eliminating errors and optimizing your packaging workflow.

Ready to ensure error-free packaging? Mox is here to help. Start your free trial today!