ETIQUETTE BLOG

One of the Pot Noodle variants affected - the "pot snacks" are claimed by Unilever to be the UK's biggest-selling such product.

Unilever was forced on April 13 to recall five varieties of its big-selling Pot Noodle snacks after reports that cracks had been found in a small number of the plastic containers during manual and automatic inspect at the company's Crumlin filling plant near Caerphilly in Wales.

The brand owener, which claims an 80% share of the UK pot snack maret with Pot Noodles, said only single packs, and not containers sold in four-packs, where believe to have been affected. The recall, in national newspapers, asked consumers to retrun any of the five variants with "best before" dates and of ""end of November and end of December 2007" straight to Unilever. A special telephone hotline was set up.

Spokesman Duncan Bogie said that as soon as cracks werefound in the base and sidewalls of a small number of packs coming off the production line it was decided to cease production.

He explained: "We and our packaging supplier believe the cracks were a result of a switch from self-adhesive labelled pots to new in-mould lablled sealed containers. They were among the very first of the new type and the manufacturer has already taken successful remedia action."

"We believe under 100 packs actually dispatched may have been affected and have had no customer reports or problems; the recall was purely for saftey."

The pots are injection moulded by Plastic System Packaging in Central France, a specialist in-mould labelled containers. A spokesman said there were several portential factors thatcould have causedthe cracking, which were being "fully investigated"

Organisers of Labelexpo Europe 2007 Tasus Group says this year's exhibition will be even larger than the 2005 event.

Some 23,000 international visitors are expected at the famour art deco Brussels Expo exhibition centre from 26-29 September where they will be able to see innovations and new products from the cream of the world's labelling community in six halls. Over 90% of the available exhibitor space is already sold.

Tarsus, which says this year's show will have a strong emphasis on internal efficiencies within the converting operation. Visitors will be able to see best practice examples of "how to adapt their business to new pressures while saving cost and maximixing profitability".

The show is expeceted to welcome over 500 companies, including Nilpeter, Mark Andy, Avery Dennison, Gallus, UPM Raflatac, Omet, Gidue, HP, Sum Chemical, Rotometrics, Rotoflex and Zenner & Gmelin. Among innovations showcased will be new digital printing systems, RFID, value-added inks that help protect brands and new direct flexo plate engraving systems, while seminars will provide delegates with the opportunity to hear advice and insights from leading experts.

More information: T: 020 8846 2700

Sessions of York has developed the Kangaroo self adehsive label, in which a small label can be cut out of a larger label.

Kangaroo labels are pre-printed for later overprinting on demand. Once the man label is removedd from the liner, it is applied to the outer case of the product, but it incorporates other secondary labels, which remain integrated with the main label until they are subsequently required.

Precise die cutting through both the facestock and the backing paper enables the secondary labels to remain in place until required.

A variable quantity of secondary labels can be included and can be applied to other cartons throughout the manufacture, storage and use of the product.

A spokesman say, "The Kangaroo label provides customers with a product that has many functions for packaging".

Chilld food and fresh food packaging specialist Ravenwood Packaging is helping to Lyon Seafoods, one of the UK's leading prawn processors, ahead of the curve with its environment and sustainability policy by supplying its planet-friendly linerless labelling machines to match the labelling news of the company's ever changing new product lines.

Four Nobac 500 Linerless Sleever Systems with a "unique twist" have been installed by the speciality seafood supplier at its new £5 million factory development in Warminster and more are planned to keep up with the new product introductions including new Prawn Salads and Marinated King Prawn ranges being rolled out to major retail and wholesale customers worldwide.

Explains Manufacturing Director, Graham Jeffs, "We moved to linerless labelling to be more corporately responsible. At the time we had a project team looking at the various options and they chose to Nobac500 as being the option that was simple, fast and cost effective."

Source: Food & Drink International

Warbutons is the latest industry member to adopt Castells's Salvo. The drive-away prevention system has been installed at the bakers' Burnley and Blackpool sites, safeguarding eight loading bays.

Warbuton's Burnley site produces more than one million products, and witnesses 150 pick-ups or deliveries, per week. The site previously relied on a system of traffic lights and drivers surrendering their keys to office personnel, but these elements have now been supplemented by Salvo.

Having parked and handed over their keys, drivers collect a Salvo Susie lock and remove their emergency break line. Fitting the lock to the exposed coupling releases a uniquely-coded key, which is then taken inside and inserted into a control box next to the door controls. The bay door and dock plate are now powered up, the lights switch to red as the door opens and loading can begin. The key remains trapped until the door is closed.