Labels

Food labelling software for EU producers: from technical sheet to printed label

KoreLab builds the sales label from the data you already have, checks it before printing and prints it on a thermal roll or an adhesive sheet, with barcode, lot and expiry date.

In short: in the Labels module you pick the product, the lot and the format; KoreLab fills in the name, the ingredients with allergens highlighted, the nutrition table per 100 g, the net quantity, the lot, the best-before date and the operator's address from the data you have in KoreLab. The label is prepared according to Reg. (EU) 1169/2011; the final check is yours. The module is on every plan; ingredients, allergens and the table come from the technical sheet, which belongs to the Quality suite.

The Labels module is on every plan. Ingredients, allergens and the nutrition table come from the Technical Sheet, in the Quality & Certifications suite: included in Pro, Business, Qualità and Consulente; on Free and Starter it is switched on with the Certifications add-on.

The problem with labels made by hand

A food label gathers many data that live in different places. When you put them together by hand, that is where mistakes get in.

Ingredients are copied by hand

Every label starts again from a file or a sheet. If the recipe changes, updating the label as well depends on your memory.

Something is missing and you see it after printing

Lot, expiry date, the operator's address: if nobody checks them beforehand, you notice when the label is already on the product.

The format is not enough for everything that has to be written

Ingredients, allergens and the nutrition table take space: on a small label something gets cut, and you often find out only on paper.

Cartons and pallets need a different label

Anyone delivering to distributors and large retail may have to label cartons and pallets with dedicated barcodes, such as ITF-14, GS1-128 and SSCC.

What you can do

From the sales label to the pallet label. On every function you will find the plan it is available on.

The sales label from the technical sheet

Pick the product and KoreLab builds the label: name, ingredient list, allergens, nutrition table per 100 g (energy in kJ and kcal, fat and of which saturates, carbohydrate and of which sugars, fibre, protein, salt), net quantity, lot, best-before date and the operator's name and address. If you fill in the country of origin in the product record, it appears next to the operator.

Plan: Labels module: all plans; ingredients, allergens and table from the technical sheet: Pro, Business, Qualità, Consulente, or Free and Starter with the Certifications add-on.

Allergens highlighted in the ingredient list

In the list the allergen word is in CAPITALS, and in bold in the preview and the PDF: the word is highlighted («skimmed MILK powder»), not the whole name. Cocoa butter and coconut milk are not highlighted as dairy. Traces come out as «May contain traces of», from the sheet and from your settings.

Plan: same as the technical sheet: Pro, Business, Qualità, Consulente; Free and Starter with the Certifications add-on.

The check before printing

KoreLab compares the label with what it should contain and tells you what is missing and what does not fit the format: in red the mandatory items, in yellow those to verify, such as storage, translations or packaging disposal. If the lot or the expiry date is missing, the sales label is not printed, unless you tick «Lot and date already on the pack».

Plan: all plans.

Lot and expiry date from the warehouse

The lot is picked from a list of the lots available in the warehouse, with its expiry date filled in by itself; dates typed in a hurry, like 300426, are recognised. Or you write the lot and the date yourself.

Plan: all plans.

Barcodes generated by KoreLab

EAN-13 and EAN-8 for the consumer product, Code 128 for the internal lot, ITF-14 for cartons, GS1-128 for cases, with GTIN, lot, expiry date and number of pieces in a single code. KoreLab generates the code, with no external services; the GTIN number is the one you hold.

Plan: all plans.

Formats and thermal printers

Choose the roll for a thermal printer or the grid on an adhesive A4 sheet, a preset format (from 60×40 mm to 100×148 mm) or a size of your own, which you save under a name. You set the copies, then print with the driver, download the PDF or share it. The bars are designed for desktop thermal printers at 203 dpi. A warning tells you when the format is too small for the complete sales label.

Plan: all plans.

Lot, case and pallet labels

Besides the sales label: the lot label for internal use, the case or carton label with consignee and palletisation data, and the pallet label, «Pallet 1 of N», each with its own SSCC. The register of printed pallets keeps what the label said and lets you reprint with the same SSCC.

Plan: all plans; you need your company's GS1 prefix; pallets from an order or a delivery note: Business.

Labels in Italian and in English

The ingredient list comes out with the English name of each raw material. If even one has no English name, the list stays in Italian and KoreLab tells you which to complete: never a list half Italian and half English.

Plan: all plans, with the technical sheet for ingredients and table.

Private label

You mark a customer as private label: on its labels your logo and your barcode are removed, while the lot always stays. The «Made by» text uses the customer's name and address and the production site from your Company profile; the product's name and barcode at that customer are saved with one click.

Plan: all plans.

Composite packs, such as a mixed tray

For a tray with several products KoreLab builds the label from the sheets of the products inside: allergens highlighted within the lists, table per 100 g of the pack as sold, a weighted average on the grams. If a product has no table, the average is not invented and KoreLab says so. You choose one list per product or a single list.

Plan: all plans, with the technical sheets of the products inside.

Labels from documents

A Labels button on the production confirmation, the delivery note and the issued invoice opens the module already filled in with product, lot, expiry date and copies taken from that document. When the number of pieces does not divide exactly into cartons, KoreLab splits it into two groups of correct labels.

Plan: from production: all plans; from delivery note and invoice: Business.

Labels with your own artwork

You upload your artwork as a PDF and place the label texts in boxes. Here missing mandatory items block printing, and the print register tells you which version of which template you printed, for which product and lot.

Plan: Business.

How it works, from product to label

You prepare the data: the product's technical sheet (ingredients from the recipe, allergens, nutrition values, storage), the EAN and the net weight in the product record, name and address in the Company profile.
You open Labels and choose the type (product, lot or logistics), the product, the lot and the expiry date.
You read the check: in red what is missing or does not fit, in yellow what you have to verify. You correct at the source, in the sheet or in the product record.
You choose format and copies and look at the preview: it is what the printer receives.
You print with the printer driver, with direct printing on the thermal printer, or you download the PDF or share it.

What it fills in by itself and what stays with you

The list follows the items that KoreLab's check verifies, inspired by Article 9 of Reg. (EU) 1169/2011. It is an indicative reference: which particulars apply to your product depends on the case.

Particular	Where KoreLab takes it from	What stays with you
Name of the food	The product name at the top and the sales name written in the technical sheet.	That the name really says what food it is.
Ingredients and allergens	From the recipe and the raw materials, through the approved technical sheet; allergens highlighted in the text; traces from the sheet and from your settings.	Checking that ingredients, allergens and traces match the actual product. If the recipe changes after the last save, KoreLab warns that the sheet needs updating.
Nutrition declaration	From the technical sheet: values per 100 g, with energy in kJ and kcal.	The values are calculated from the raw materials you entered, not measured on the product: they are only as good as the data entered.
Net quantity	From the product record. The ℮ symbol is added with a tick.	The weight you declare. The ℮ concerns whoever declares the average tolerance for prepackaged goods: you decide.
Lot	From the lot picked among those in the warehouse, or written by you.	That it is the right lot. Without a lot the sales label is not printed, unless it is «already on the pack».
Best-before date	From the lot's expiry date, or written by you.	That the date is correct. Without a date the label is not printed, unless it is «already on the pack» or the product is marked as having no expiry.
Operator	Name and address from the Company profile. For a contract-manufactured or private-label product, the text you choose.	That it is the operator responsible for the sale. If the address is missing, the check flags it in red.
Storage and instructions	Temperature and conditions from the technical sheet; instructions written in the module.	Deciding whether your product needs them. If missing, the check puts them in yellow.
Alcoholic strength	For beverages, from the sheet and the raw materials; the check reminds you that above 1.2% vol it has to be stated.	The actual strength of the product and the rules that apply to your beverage.

Which plan it is available on

The plan matters: labels are in the base module, but ingredients, allergens and the nutrition table come from the technical sheet, which belongs to the Quality & Certifications suite.

Function	Where it is available	Good to know
Product, lot and logistics labels, barcodes, formats and printing	All plans (Labels module)	Within the plan's catalogue limits, for example the number of products: see the Pricing page.
Ingredients, allergens, nutrition table and storage on the sales label	Technical sheet: Pro, Business, Qualità, Consulente; Free and Starter with the Certifications add-on	Without a technical sheet the sales label comes out without these data and the check flags it.
Pre-print check and block without lot or expiry date	All plans	The check is an aid: responsibility for the label stays with whoever puts it on the product.
Direct printing on the thermal printer	All plans	It requires a small free program on the computer connected to the printer. Otherwise, PDF and driver.
Pallet labels with SSCC and the pallet register	All plans	You need the GS1 prefix assigned to your company. Pallets from an order or a delivery note require orders and delivery notes, Business plan.
Private label	All plans	The name and address of the operator under whose name the product is sold must appear anyway: the check reminds you, it does not replace it.
Composite packs	All plans	You need the technical sheets of the products inside. Fixed-share composition: a different composition is a different product.
Labels button on production, delivery note and invoice	Production: all plans. Delivery note and invoice: Business	The module opens already filled in with the document's data.
Labels with your own artwork and the print register	Business plan	You upload your artwork as a PDF and place the texts in boxes.

What it does and what it does not

So you know exactly what to count on.

Aspect	With KoreLab	Limits to keep in mind
Where the data come from	From the technical sheet, the product record, the Company profile and the lots in the warehouse.	The label is only as good as the data entered: what is wrong or missing in the sheet comes out wrong or missing on the label.
Approved sheet	The label prints the saved and approved sheet, not a provisional version.	If the recipe or the product changes after the last save, KoreLab warns you: open the sheet, check and save.
Character height	Texts are set at 1.2 mm x-height until you give the shape and size of the container in Packaging; 0.9 mm only below 80 cm² (Art. 13).	The container's surface, not the label's, decides the size: you provide it and you check it.
Small formats	A warning tells you when the format is too small for the complete sales label.	The smallest formats suit a lot label or an essential label, not the sales label with ingredients and table.
Barcodes	Generates EAN-13, EAN-8, Code 128, ITF-14 and GS1-128.	The numbers (GTIN and GS1 prefix) are your company's: KoreLab does not assign codes.
Direct printing	Sends the native command to the thermal printer, for the recognised families of thermal printers, so text and bars stay sharp.	It does not apply to every printer, and requires a small free program installed on the connected computer: it is not direct printing from the browser or the phone. For other printers the PDF with the driver remains.
English	English name of each raw material, also in the supplier's compound lists.	If even one ingredient has no English name, the list stays in Italian. The translated sheet texts have to be confirmed by you.
Composite packs	Builds the label from the sheets of the products inside and flags what is missing.	Reg. 1169/2011 does not deal specifically with assortments: the choices on lists, weighted table and expiry date are inferred from the general articles of Reg. 1169/2011, to be checked with your consultant.
Responsibility	The label is prepared according to Reg. (EU) 1169/2011 from the data you entered.	The final check is yours. KoreLab does not certify the label and does not replace the check by whoever puts it on the product.

Regulatory reference, indicative only. Reg. (EU) 1169/2011 lists the mandatory particulars for prepacked food: among others, the name of the food, ingredients with allergens highlighted, net quantity, best-before date, the operator's name and address, the nutrition declaration. Which ones apply to your product depends on the case. KoreLab is a management and self-control tool: it does not certify, it is not Accredia-accredited and it does not give legal advice. Regulatory texts are indicative and should be checked with your consultant.

Learn more

The label works together with the technical sheet, nutrition values, allergens and batch traceability.

Product technical sheet → Nutrition values → Allergen management → Batch traceability → Self-control and certifications →

Frequently asked questions

What mandatory information must a food label carry?+

As an indicative reference, Article 9 of Reg. (EU) 1169/2011 lists for prepacked food, among others, the name of the food, ingredients with allergens highlighted, net quantity, best-before or use-by date, storage conditions where needed, the operator's name and address and the nutrition declaration. For beverages above 1.2% vol the alcoholic strength is added. The lot follows a dedicated rule. Which particulars apply to your product depends on the case: check with your consultant. KoreLab's check tells you which of these items are missing or do not fit.

Is KoreLab food labelling software?+

Yes. In the Labels module you pick the product, the lot and the format, and KoreLab builds the sales label from the technical sheet, with barcode, and prints it on a thermal roll, on an adhesive A4 sheet or as a PDF. It also prepares lot, case, carton and pallet labels.

Does KoreLab certify the label or guarantee regulatory compliance?+

No. The label is prepared according to Reg. (EU) 1169/2011 starting from the data you enter, and the final check is yours. KoreLab is a management and self-control tool: it does not certify and it is not Accredia-accredited. Regulatory texts are indicative: for your own situation, always check with your consultant.

What does KoreLab fill in by itself and what do I have to check?+

It fills in the name, ingredients with allergens highlighted, nutrition table per 100 g, net quantity, lot, expiry date and the operator's name and address, taking them from the technical sheet, the product record, the Company profile and the lots in the warehouse. It is up to you to check that the data are right: ingredients and allergens, nutrition values calculated from the raw materials you entered, net weight, lot, date and the responsible operator.

Which plan has labels?+

The Labels module is available on all plans, within the plan's catalogue limits. Ingredients, allergens and the nutrition table of the sales label come from the technical sheet, which belongs to the Quality suite: included in Pro, Business, Qualità and Consulente; on Free and Starter it is switched on with the Certifications add-on. Without a sheet the sales label comes out without those data. Labels with your own artwork belong to the Business plan. For prices see the Pricing page.

Can I print on a thermal printer? Which printers work?+

Yes. KoreLab is designed for desktop thermal printers at 203 dpi and prepares the roll or the grid on an adhesive A4 sheet. For the recognised families of thermal printers it sends the native command with direct printing, which requires a small free program on the computer connected to the printer. For any other printer the universal route remains: you download the PDF and print with the driver.

Which barcodes does KoreLab generate?+

EAN-13 and EAN-8 for the consumer product, Code 128 for the internal lot, ITF-14 for cartons and GS1-128 for logistics, with GTIN, lot, expiry date and number of pieces in a single code. Pallet labels carry an SSCC. KoreLab generates the codes, but the numbers are your company's: for the SSCC you need the GS1 prefix assigned to you.

How are allergens highlighted on the label?+

In the ingredient list the allergen word is in CAPITALS, and in bold in the preview and the PDF. The word is highlighted, not the whole name: «skimmed MILK powder». Cocoa butter and coconut milk are not highlighted as dairy. The highlighted allergens are those you registered on the raw materials: KoreLab looks for them in the name of each ingredient, but checking that they are right and complete stays with you.

Can I make the label in English?+

Yes. The ingredient list comes out with the English name of each raw material. If even one has no English name, the list stays in Italian and KoreLab tells you which to complete, so as not to print a list half Italian and half English. The product name and the sheet texts also need their translation, which you confirm.

What happens if the lot or the expiry date is missing?+

The sales label is not printed and KoreLab tells you what is missing. If lot and expiry date are already printed on the pack, you tick «Lot and date already on the pack» and the label says where to find them. A product marked as having no expiry in the product record does not require the date.

Can I make private label labels?+

Yes. You mark the customer as private label: on its labels your logo and your barcode are removed, and the lot always stays. The «Made by» text uses the customer's name and address. The name and address of the operator under whose name the product is sold must appear on the label anyway: the check reminds you, but the verification is yours.

Can I start on the Free plan?+

Yes, for lot and logistics labels, barcodes, formats and printing, within the Free catalogue limits. For the sales label with ingredients, allergens and nutrition table you need the technical sheet: on Free it is switched on with the Certifications add-on, or you move to Pro, Business or Qualità.

Start on Free, add the technical sheet when you need it

With Free you try the Labels module, barcodes and printing, within the plan's limits. The complete sales label needs the technical sheet, in the Quality suite: compare the plans on the Pricing page.