Bottle Labels

Where does a bottle label go?

Most bottles have a straight body between the shoulder and the base, and that is where the main label belongs. A back label carries ingredients or directions. A neck label or collar adds a finishing touch and can carry a flavour or a batch number.

Avoid putting a flat label across the shoulder, where the glass curves in two directions. A paper or film label cannot follow a double curve without creasing. If you want something on the shoulder, a narrow neck collar shaped to fit is the answer.

Tall, slim bottles leave less room on the front, so a taller, narrower label often reads better than a wide one. Short, round bottles suit a wider label that wraps a little further round the side.

• Body and back labels for a cordial range in three flavours
• Clear labels with white ink on amber oil bottles
• Neck collars with a flavour colour for each bottle
• Gloss labels with spot varnish on a chilli sauce
• Kraft labels for small-batch vinegars sold at markets
• Silver film labels for a premium tonic

How do I size a bottle label?

Measure the straight wall with a ruler and the circumference with a strip of paper. The label should be a few millimetres shorter than the straight wall, and its width should usually be no more than about a third to a half of the circumference so it reads from the front.

These are starting points. Every bottle varies, so measure your own and we will check the size on the proof.

Which stock suits a bottle that gets wet?

If the bottle goes in a fridge, an ice bucket or a shower, choose white or clear BOPP. It is a water-resistant film, so condensation and splashes do not soften it, and it wipes clean when a sauce drips down the side.

Paper suits bottles kept dry in a cupboard and gives a traditional look, especially in matt or textured finishes. Our water-resistant film labels page explains the difference in detail.

Clear labels on glass bottles

Clear film makes the print look as if it sits on the glass. White lettering on clear film over an amber bottle, or dark text on clear film over a pale cordial, is a classic look for drinks and oils.

Remember that clear film has no white of its own. On dark liquids we print a layer of white ink behind the design so the colours stay bright.

Clear labels also suit bottles that show off a bright cordial or a golden oil, where hiding the liquid behind a solid white label would waste the best part of the pack.

Applying bottle labels straight

1. Fill and cap the bottle, then wipe it dry.
2. Let chilled bottles warm to room temperature so no condensation forms.
3. Use a simple jig, such as a block of wood with a stop, so every label sits at the same height.
4. Touch the centre of the label down first and smooth outwards in both directions.
5. Leave labelled bottles to settle for a day before chilling or boxing.

A desktop dispenser speeds this up a lot, and our rolls can be wound to suit it.

What does a drinks label need to show?

That depends on the drink and is the maker's responsibility. Most bottles carry the product name, the volume, the ingredients with allergens emphasised, a best-before date area and your name and address. Check the current rules for your product with trading standards or a labelling adviser before you finalise the wording.

We set out whatever you send, check that it fits and reads at a comfortable size, and point out anything that may be too small to read once printed.

Keep the back label wording in one document so you can update it in one place, and send that same file each time you reorder. It saves retyping and avoids small differences creeping in between batches.

Can labels handle squeezy plastic bottles?

Yes, with a little care. Squeezy bottles flex, so a stiff label can wrinkle at the edges. White BOPP flexes with the bottle better than paper, and rounded corners lift far less than square ones.

Leave a few millimetres of space at the top and bottom of the straight wall, so the label edges do not sit where the bottle bends most when squeezed.

Do bottle labels need a laminate?

Not always. BOPP film resists water on its own. A gloss or matt laminate over the print adds protection against scuffing, which helps on bottles that rattle together in a crate or get handled a lot behind a bar.

For a bottle that sits on a deli shelf and is bought once, an unlaminated film label is usually enough. For one that comes in and out of a fridge every day, the laminate is worth the small extra cost.

How is a bottle label priced?

Prices start from £0.05 a label. The size, the stock, any finish such as foil or spot varnish, and the quantity set the final figure. A body and back label pair on one quote usually costs less per label than ordering them separately.

The quote and a free design proof come back by email within one working day.

Ordering for a new product launch

Launch runs are often small, and minimums are low and quoted per job. A short first run lets you see the bottle on a shelf, photograph it and test it with customers before ordering in volume.

Keep the label artwork in layers if you can, so changing a flavour name or a volume for the next version takes minutes rather than a full redesign.

Photograph the first labelled bottles in daylight before you order more. Things that look fine on screen, such as a thin font or a low-contrast colour, are much easier to judge on a real bottle at arm's length.

After you approve the proof

Printing takes 3 to 5 working days after you approve the proof. Rolls are wound to your dispenser's core and wind, sheets are packed flat, and free tracked UK mainland delivery takes 2 to 3 working days.

If labels arrive misprinted or damaged, tell us within 10 days with a photo and we reprint them or refund you.