Last updated January 2024
This section provides information on our design guidance and how our labels should be used. As a result of demand from members, we have made this area non-secure so it can be shared with external design agencies.
6.1 Adding consumer actions
Consumers are sometimes confused about what they should do to an item before recycling it and this can mean that they don’t recycle it. Our calls to action are designed to help consumers do the right thing and will be applied where appropriate to all labels.
Here are some examples of consumer actions which can be added to OPRL labels using our Labelling Tool.
Example labels
Cap On or Lid On
Caps and lids under 40mm in diameter are too small to be captured for recycling. Consumers should be asked to place caps back on bottles to ensure the cap can be captured with the main packaging component. When this label is used the cap or lid should not be labelled separately. The only exception is plastic caps over 40mm on metal aerosols which must be labelled separately to indicate to the consumer that they should not remain attached to the aerosol. Caps under 40mm on aerosols do not need to be labelled.
Flatten | Cap On
These instructions should be used on the label for beverage cartons to make handling and transport more efficient.
Insert Straw
This will be included on small beverage cartons where selected.
Remove Film
This instruction should be used when a film or liner can be easily removed from a piece of packaging by the consumer without needing to use a knife, pair of scissors or other tool. There must also be clear guidance on pack to show how the film is removed, e.g. “peel here”.
Remove Sleeve
Plastic sleeves are often used on plastic packaging components. If the sleeve is a different polymer or material to the bottle and covers more than 60 percent of the surface area, it should be perforated so the consumer can remove it easily. When this instruction is included, the sleeve must also be labelled so the consumer knows how to dispose of it.
Rinse or Clean
This simple instruction helps minimise contamination at recycling plants. ‘Clean’ should be used where food may be baked on and must only be used on packaging components not made of paper or card. The instruction to rinse can be used with ‘Cap On’ or ‘Lid On’ if needed.
We recently added 3 new calls to action to our existing suite. These new labels allow materials to be collected and recycled that may not have been before, just by adding some simple consumer instructions to the labels. Recent consumer research shows us that more and more people are willing to follow instructions on labels to be able to recycle packaging.The calls to action have been extensively consumer tested for recognition and are as follows:
Empty
This call to action indicates that a packaging component should ideally be emptied before recycling. It is intended for packaging where the product may be an inhibitor to reprocessing. However, this should not be used instead of our existing calls to action of 'rinse' and 'clean' for food packaging.
Scrape
Food waste contaminates recycling collections but not all packaging is suitable for rinsing or cleaning. This new instruction is designed for use on ready meal trays and wraps where appropriate.
Scrunch
This instruction is designed for foil packaging to aid its sortation into the correct materials stream.
6.2 Single component vs multi-components
For single component packaging, a single label is used. The component name is not needed but a call to action message may be included.
Where your packaging has multiple components that need to be recycled/disposed of separately, a multi-label must be used with components specified.
Considerations
Number of labels: Our research has shown that consumers tend to find labels with more than 3 components confusing, therefore our labelling tool currently generates a maximum of 3 components per label. However, we understand that some packaging formats can be challenging to label within these guidelines so please contact us and we will help you create the appropriate artwork.
Non-grocery packaging: For some non-grocery applications with single component packaging, it may be necessary to specify that the label relates to the packaging and not the product. In these instances, the component name can be included on the label. Please contact us for assistance.
Removing components: If packaging needs a call to action to remove a component, that component must also have its own label if it is over 40mm in diameter and the recycling message is different.
6.3 Specialist labels
Our specialist labels are designed for the small number of materials which may not always be collected through household recycling collections.
Plastic bags and wrapping
These labels must only be used on plastic bags and wrapping that can be recycled through the front of store collection points, and must be either mono PE or PP packaging, or any mixed polyolefin packaging. OPRL members can refer to the Flexible Plastics section for our rules for film recyclability.
Beverage cartons
This label should be used on composite beverage cartons (e.g. Tetra Pak, SIG, Elopak). Although collected through household recycling collections in a many areas, some councils still use recycling points to collect them. A call to action can be applied to the label to remind the consumer to replace the cap on large cartons, or insert the straw for small individual portions. A specialist recycling process captures the non-paper elements from the packaging and recycles both plastic and aluminium components. This label should not be used on other types of carton.
Paint cans
The portrait version of the label should be used in all but exceptional circumstances on metal paint and varnish cans. Metal handles on plastic paint cans are not recyclable and should not be labelled as such.
Coffee Cups
This label should only be used on single use paper cups that are coated on one side. A network of recycling collection points has been established through the work of the PCRRG (paper cup recycling and recovery group).It must not be used on double side coated cold cups or on compostable cups.
6.4 Label specification – colours, fonts, and sizing
We supply our labels as production ready artwork which must be used in all cases, applying the following print rules.
Colour
The starting position is always the full colour version as giving the strongest prompt and stimulus for action by consumers. This means:
- Green for the ‘Recycle’ box: Reference Pantone 376C or C50 M0 Y100 K0
- Solid black for ’Do Not Recycle’ and ‘Check Home Collections’ boxes: Reference C0 M0 Y0 K100
Where full colour is not possible, black and white or reversed out printing is permitted. For black and white print, the green ‘Recycle’ box is replaced by a white keyline box and the icon/ component info is black on a white background. On a coloured background, please refer to the reversed out artwork available.
Note that we now also allow the use of other suitable dark colours in place of black on our B&W labels. Please contact us if you have any questions about this.
Sizing
All label artwork is supplied at a size to ensure 6pt font as a minimum, consistent with international good practice. This font size should not be reduced.
The minimum sizes for the different formats are as follows:
You can scale this artwork upwards, depending on space available. We supply production ready artwork for all labels through the labelling tool in the Members’ Area of the website.
Label precedence
Multiple labels should always be ordered as follows: Refill > Recycle > Do Not Recycle > Specialist > Exception. The Exception labels will no longer be needed when Simpler Recycling comes into effect.
Using Recycle and Refill labels
When a Recycling label is used in conjunction with a Refill label, additional wording such as ‘Then’ should be used to emphasise the label refers to final disposal at end of life.