LMAI hosts panel discussion on quality, sustainability and innovation

The event, held at Radisson Blue Plaza, New Delhi, deliberated on the ways to maintain good quality, and sustainability and continuous innovation in label-making. The panel was moderated by Harveer Sahni, chairman, Weldon Celloplast. 

The panel comprised Arjit Mondal of Nestle; Sanjay Ghoshal of Diageo; Naveen Stuart of Reckitt Benckiser; Swati Gupta of Amway; Sidharth Sharma of Dabur and Mohit Mittal of Sun Pharma. 

“Without a label, a product means nothing to us. Its entire identification comes from being labelled, that is where an identity is defined. Therefore, we must be extremely careful of the choices we make,” said Sahni. 

Swati Gupta of Amway emphasised the importance of having a consistent brand and maintaining a continual standard. “The way the laws and regulations are framed are meant to define what is in a label in terms of a substrate or product. It is vital that food packaging contain certain guidelines.”

Naveen Stuart of Reckitt Benckiser said, “We need to define label substrates. It is vital to take time to understand the selection of substrates, the quality, the consistency and the cost.”

Sanjay Ghoshal of Diageo stated, “Vendor selection is something we need to comprehend more deeply. We must run through the various stages. There are various samples that one must consider depending on the capability and capacity that one has both financially and via their machines. We must take into consideration the quality, the environment, the management and the reputation of the product.”

Arijit Mondal of Nestle said, “Over the past two decades, the growth of labels in the food industry has been tremendous. Ordinary people look at labels now and check the sugar, salt, trans fats and carbohydrates involved. Consumers are now more aware and clear, and similarly, our standard of living has evolved greatly over the past 20 years. We must follow statutory norms.”

Sidharth Sharma of Dabur said, “Eco-friendly labels make for a healthier planet and a better brand. There is an appeal in pushing this to the masses. 64% of consumers said that buying from a sustainable brand makes them feel better about their choices. Sustainability isn’t optional anymore – customers expect it and regulators demand it.”

Mohit Mittal of Sun Pharma stated, “Quality is crucial for brand perception, regulatory compliance and product safety. Well-designed labels enhance brand credibility. Quality also plays a vital role in streamlining vital processes such as barcode scanning and inventory management. High-quality barcodes ensure accurate data capture, preventing errors in supply chain management. Well-printed clear barcodes can be scanned efficiently.”

Pradeep Vohra, director, Labelexpo, spoke about the upcoming 2025 edition, due to be held in Barcelona. Similarly, Jaideep Singh shared a presentation of the upcoming LMAI biennial conference at Udaipur from 3-6 July 2025. Dinesh Mahajan, vice-president, LMAI, delivered the vote of thanks.