This article was published in the July/August 2026 issue of Pet Food Processing. Read it and other articles from this issue in our July/August digital edition. 

As regulatory expectations increase, product portfolios expand and consumers demand greater transparency, manufacturers are now relying on labeling, printing and coding technologies to create accurate, verifiable records that follow products throughout the supply chain.

From lot codes and expiration dates to QR codes and automated inspection systems, modern technologies are helping processors improve traceability, reduce labeling errors and respond more effectively when quality issues arise. At the same time, growing interest in data integration and automation is transforming labeling and coding from a packaging function into a critical component of food safety and operational efficiency.

Product labels are just one of the many traceability tools manufacturers can use to protect their products. 

Source: MULTIVAC

“The challenge most manufacturers face isn’t a lack of data — it’s that the data exists in disconnected silos,” said Cristopher Williams, regional product specialist of End-of-line and Packaging, JBT Marel, Gainesville, Ga. “The packaging machine logs one thing. The labeler logs another. The checkweigher logs a third. None of them communicate with each other.”

The evolution comes as manufacturers prepare for emerging traceability requirements and industry initiatives such as GS1 Sunrise 2027, which is expected to accelerate adoption of 2D barcodes capable of carrying significantly more information than traditional UPC codes.

Prioritizing traceability

When a quality issue occurs, the ability to quickly identify affected products can dramatically reduce the scope and cost of a recall. As a result, traceability has become one of the primary drivers behind investments in labeling, printing and coding technologies.

Modern systems allow manufacturers to connect products to specific production runs, ingredients, packaging records and shipment data, creating a digital trail that can be accessed when needed.

“Today’s systems add variable data like use-by dates, batch or lot numbers, and barcodes or 2D codes quickly and in the right place, all managed from a central recipe,” said Sinisa Dunovic, technical product specialist, MULTIVAC, Kansas City, Mo. “This makes it easier to trace lots and lowers the chance of mistakes.”

The industry’s focus has shifted from simply printing information onto packages to ensuring that information is accurate and verifiable throughout production.

“By combining printing and labeling with inspection systems that check for print presence, accuracy and code readability, manufacturers can catch issues before products leave the facility,” said Sinisa Dunovic, MULTIVAC.

“In-line verification plays a critical role,” Dunovic said. “By combining printing and labeling with inspection systems that check for print presence, accuracy and code readability, manufacturers can catch issues before products leave the facility.”

Traceability is also becoming increasingly important as manufacturers prepare for future regulatory requirements. Williams noted many processors struggle because production information is often scattered across multiple pieces of equipment and software systems. Integrated systems help address that challenge by creating continuous production records rather than isolated data points.

“At JBT Marel, the Proseal tray sealer, WPL9000+ weigh-price labeler and MCheck2 checkweigher each generate production data at their respective stages,” Williams said. “The result is a continuous, unit-level production record that doesn’t need to be reconstructed.”

Andrew Birdwell, vice president of Sales, Ossid, Rocky Mount, NC, said processors are increasingly connecting weighing, labeling and inspection technologies to improve visibility from package to pallet.

“By linking each package to real-time information — including weight, lot codes, barcodes and product identification — processors can ensure labeling accuracy while creating a complete digital record throughout the supply chain,” he said.

Verification reduces recall risk

For manufacturers, traceability’s greatest value often becomes apparent during a recall. After all, the ability to identify specific products affected by a supplier issue, production deviation or labeling error allows companies to conduct targeted recalls rather than broad withdrawals that remove unaffected products from the marketplace.

“The cost of a recall isn’t just the product pulled from shelves, it’s the precision of the pull and the mark it leaves on the brand,” said Christopher Williams, JBT Marel.

“The cost of a recall isn’t just the product pulled from shelves, it’s the precision of the pull and the mark it leaves on the brand,” Williams said.

When companies can quickly identify products associated with a particular lot, shift or production window, they can limit both operational disruption and financial losses.

“A manufacturer who can identify exactly which units are affected by lot, line, shift and time window can execute a targeted retrieval,” Williams said. “A manufacturer that can’t is forced to cast a wider net.”

Verification technologies are playing an increasingly important role in helping manufacturers prevent problems before products leave the facility.

Dunovic noted many processors are adopting what he describes as a “verify every pack” approach, using inspection technologies to confirm code presence, accuracy and readability.

“This ‘verify every pack’ approach limits recalls to only affected lots by preventing unreadable or incorrect codes from advancing,” he said.

Vision inspection systems add another layer of protection by automatically checking labels and printed information throughout production.

“That helps prevent mislabeled products from reaching the marketplace,” Birdwell said.

As production speeds continue to increase, many manufacturers view automated verification as a necessity rather than a luxury.

“Line speed and manual verification are fundamentally incompatible past a certain threshold,” Williams said.

Automated inspection systems can evaluate every package on the line without the fatigue or inconsistency associated with manual checks.

“A checkweigher that confirms every unit meets weight specification, a print verification system that reads every code before the unit advances, and a label applicator that places consistently regardless of line speed, together create a quality gate,” Williams said.

Automation supports compliance goals

Regulatory compliance remains another major factor shaping investments in labeling and coding systems.

Pet food labels must contain detailed information regarding ingredients, nutritional adequacy, feeding instructions and manufacturer identification. Maintaining compliance becomes increasingly challenging as manufacturers add new products, SKUs or package formats.

“A processor running grain-free, limited-ingredient, life-stage and breed-specific variants on the same line may execute five or six changeovers in a single shift,” Williams explained. “Each one is a moment when the wrong label template, the wrong date code format, or the wrong allergen declaration can be applied to a finished unit.”

Automation helps reduce those risks by eliminating manual setup steps and standardizing production processes.

JBT Marel’s integrated systems provide continuous production records instead of isolated data points throughout the production process. 

“Recipe-driven, integrated control systems standardize and automate coding and labeling, making these processes more reliable and minimizing mistakes,” Dunovic said.

Integrated systems also help streamline production while reducing the potential for human error.

“Modern automated weigh price labeling systems simplify recipe management, reduce manual intervention and improve print reliability,” Birdwell said.

For manufacturers producing a growing number of SKUs, automation offers benefits beyond compliance.

Williams noted that automated recipe selection, template management and device configuration can significantly reduce changeover-related errors.

New labeling options

While traceability and compliance remain important drivers, labeling and coding technologies are also creating new opportunities for consumer engagement and supply chain visibility. The transition to 2D barcodes is expected to play a major role in that evolution.

GS1 Sunrise 2027 is encouraging retailers and manufacturers to adopt QR codes and other 2D barcode formats capable of carrying more information than traditional UPC codes.

Unlike conventional barcodes, 2D codes can include production-specific information such as lot numbers, expiration dates and batch identifiers while also serving as gateways to digital content.

“The physical label on a pet food package has two competing jobs,” Williams said. “Carry the regulatory content the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) require and communicate the brand and product story that drives the purchase decision.”

QR codes help resolve that challenge by extending packaging information into a digital environment.

“The QR code connects to everything else — sourcing documentation, batch-specific ingredient provenance, certification details, feeding guides — without crowding the package face,” Williams added.

These capabilities create opportunities for pet food manufacturers to strengthen consumer trust while improving supply chain visibility.

“From the MULTIVAC Group’s viewpoint, the opportunity is to make each pack a digital product record,” Dunovic said. “For pet food brands, that can translate into transparent sourcing and nutrition details, feeding guidance, allergen or sensitivity notes, recycling instructions and more precise recall communications targeted to affected lots.”

Looking ahead, industry experts expect deeper integration between production equipment, business systems and traceability platforms to shape the next generation of labeling and coding technologies.

Many manufacturers are moving toward connected environments in which coding events, production records and business systems share information automatically.

“For manufacturers looking to link packaging operations to business systems, connectivity reduces manual data entry and maintains smooth traceability from production to shipping,” Dunovic said.

Artificial intelligence (AI) also is beginning to influence inspection and verification technologies.

“Manufacturers are increasingly adopting AI-powered vision inspection, integrated production data management and 2D coding technologies to improve quality assurance and strengthen supply chain visibility,” Birdwell said.

Williams believes future success will depend on building traceability directly into manufacturing operations rather than relying on disconnected systems and manual recordkeeping.

“The requirement to produce a lot’s full Key Data Element history to the FDA within 24 hours isn’t achievable with disconnected systems and manual records,” he said.

As pet food manufacturers continue balancing food safety, regulatory compliance and consumer expectations, labeling, printing and coding technologies are becoming essential tools for managing increasingly complex operations. 

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