Transcript

When you’re planning your labels, ink probably isn’t the first thing you think about – but it has a huge impact on how your labels look, perform and last.

Hi, I’m Emily and I’m here today to give ink a bit of the spotlight. Because once you get past “just the colour”, inks can glow in the dark, change with temperature, shout in neon or add subtle metallic cues that totally change how your brand shows up. On a busy shelf, shoppers only give packs a couple of seconds, so the way your inks handle colour, gloss and texture can be the difference between a glance and a grab. 

Most labels start with standard pantone inks for brand colours and process colours for imagery. They do the everyday heavy lifting. Once that’s sorted, this is where it gets interesting. there’s a whole world of special inks that can make your label do a lot more than just sit quietly on the shelf. For example, thermochromic inks. These are heat‑sensitive inks that change colour with temperature. They’re perfect for ready‑to‑drink cocktails and cans that only reveal a message when they’re properly chilled. From “ready to sip” indicators to little surprises that only appear when the pack is chilled.

Then you’ve got glow in the dark inks. These charge up under light and glow when the lights go down. They’re ideal for limited editions and promotional runs where you want the pack to do something unexpected. You can use them to highlight logos, pick out key details or hide reveal‑style messages that only show up in low light, adding an extra layer of discovery that keeps your brand in people’s hands a little bit longer. 

Neon inks push colour to the extreme, giving you those ultra‑bright, high‑impact tones that jump off the shelf. Metallic inks, on the other hand, bring in that premium, reflective shine – ideal for signals of quality, luxury or simply standing out next to a flat, standard print. Neon and fluorescent‑style colours hit the eye harder than standard process inks, so they’re brilliant for drawing attention to flavours, new variants or on‑pack offers. High‑chroma colours don’t just shout louder – they’re often perceived as more intense or more powerful, which is why they’re such a good fit for messages like “energy” and “extreme”. 

On top of the inks, varnishes play a big role to the final look and feel. Satin varnish gives a soft, smooth sheen – a nice balance between gloss and matt. Matt varnish dials down the shine for a more understated, tactile, modern look. You can also build in extra interaction. Scratch‑and‑sniff coatings literally add smell to the label, which is brilliant for flavours, fragrances or playful, campaign‑led ideas. And because scent is a powerful memory trigger, Scratch and sniff isn’t just a nice extra - when the scent on the label matches the product, it creates a sensory link that makes your brand easier to recognise the next time they’re at the shelf.

The nice thing is, all of these effects can be built into the print and finishing stage, so you can add interaction and shelf impact without completely reinventing your packaging. At Label Apeel, we guide you through the best ink and finish options to add extra engagement and personality to your labels – helping you to win on shelf.