Majority of beverage bottles use the following three types of labels made with a variety of materials.

1. Roll Fed

2. Shrink Sleeves

3. Pressure Sensitive

Roll fed labels are mature and generally speaking do not pose recyclability issues, particularly in North America where most of the label are laminated. As North America transitions from laminated to mono layer (web), it is important to demonstrate that printing inks do not negatively impact PET color.

Growth of both Shrink Sleeve and Pressure Sensitive Labels have exploded and they are projected to grow high 5-7% CAGR over the next 5-7 years. Brand owners have embraced both these label types as it offers premiumization opportunities which consumers like.

The volume of both these label types have significantly increased over the last decade and its impact on the overall recyclability of the package is not well understood John Standish, Technical Director of Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) has been instrumental in leading development of design guide for recyclability.

APR design guide covers label sustainability in detail and below is a high-level overview of how brand owners and suppliers to packaging industry can help improve packaging performance for recyclability.