This year NOM-051 came into force (“regulates the frontal labeling system that all prepackaged foods and non-alcoholic beverages must have, destined for the final consumer, of national or foreign manufacture, marketed in national territory”). The economy and health of Mexico established since October 2020 that the products in the packaging must bear a seal that warns the level of sugar, fat, calories, sodium or calories that exceed the content limit established in the standard.
Consumable products from now on will be regulated by this label, this change has caused the packaging industry to have a late response to its customers, this caused difficulties in the supply chain, causing cost overruns that impact the operation and performance of the products. This new adaptation in packaging has implied an increase in expenses, however, companies have adapted quickly to this change and have managed to solve the problem through innovation, creativity and greater automation. Now more than ever, packaging must look more attractive so that the seal of the standard does not cause a great impact on consumer decision-making, looking for an ultra-convenient packaging that creates sensory experiences for consumers should be the objective of the companies.
The use of personalized packaging is a competitive advantage that is essential to be part of, one way to achieve this is by digitally printing the packaging of the consumables instead of printing the label separately. The advantages of digital printing are that there is greater cost savings and increased profit margin, flexibility and versatility, customization, and reduced production and delivery times. Even speaking of the environment, this would have a positive impact, because by printing directly on the cardboard packaging, the waste generated by printing labels would be reduced. With digital printing and other methods, the problems caused by changes in the supply chain have been mitigated, achieving the compatibility of packaging, especially cardboard, with the NOM-051.