As of June 2022, the U.S. continues to experience supply chain difficulties. While the reasons we’ve heard include a lack of truck drivers, lack of raw materials and border closures, the reality is that incorrect labeling also creates supply chain challenges. A labeling error can bring an entire supply chain to a standstill, regardless of whether or not organizations are properly staffed and plenty of stock is available.

According to a company leader in packaging and labeling control, incorrect labeling is the top reason for food recalls. Undeclared allergens, incorrect ingredients or inaccurate shipping labels are a few examples of why recalls occur. But the food industry isn’t the only one where mislabeling can be costly. The Medical Device Recall Report conducted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revealed that in just the first quarter of 2014, 53% of medical device manufacturing recalls were due to packaging errors, including labeling errors. And not so long ago, in 2019, a large car manufacturer had to delay a car release due to incorrect settings on its printers, which prompted labeling errors on vehicle components imported to the U.S. from China.

Read the full writeup at Workplace Material Handling & Safety.