The present disclosure relates, generally, to a user-friendly ingredient label for use on product packaging. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to an ingredient label that lists formal ingredients names for at least some of the product ingredients in a first portion of the label and a corresponding informal ingredient name and/or additional ingredient information in a second portion of the ingredient label.
Certain consumer products such as cosmetics, food, and dietary supplements are required to list the ingredients of the product on the package. In many countries, ingredient labeling requirements for food, drugs, and cosmetic products may be subject to governmental regulation. For example, product labeling requirements may include size and placement of the label, information that must listed on the label, uniform ingredient names (e.g., INCI names), order of ingredients, and type size and prominence.
The use of standardized ingredient names on the label of cosmetic products such as facial moisturizers, shampoos, and other personal care products can help provide uniformity in product manufacturing and improve consumer safety. However, standardized ingredient names are not necessarily unique to a specific material and may not differentiate ingredients based on the source of the ingredient. For example, the INCI name “Butylene Glycol” does not indicate if the material is sourced from traditional petroleum-based feedstocks or newer, more consumer-preferred bio-based feedstocks. A given INCI name may encompass more than one exact chemical. For example, “Acrylates Copolymer” includes a wide range of different monomers copolymerized with acrylic acid and/or methacrylic acid. Providing additional information with regard to the monomer content of an “acrylate copolymer” may be desired by at least some consumers. Advancement in smart phone apps has enabled consumer to readily scan ingredient statements. However, the information provided to the consumer by these apps is still limited by the utility of current INCI names. In light of the limited information provided by formal ingredient names, consumers may not recognize what the ingredients in a product are and/or what they do.
To raise consumer awareness of a particular ingredient, some cosmetic manufacturers may provide additional ingredient information on a product website accessible via the Internet. For example, the website may provide the common name and/or properties of the key ingredients for a particular product (i.e., the ingredient(s) providing the claimed cosmetic benefit). In a specific example, the website may indicate that retinyl palmitate is “Vitamin A”. In another specific example, the website might provide an ingredient list for a product that includes “Nymphaea alba extract” and indicate in stylized or prominent lettering that “water lily extract is an excellent source of antioxidants and nutrients to replenish the skin”. While such websites may provide a suitable source of additional ingredient information for consumers who are more actively researching a product or specific ingredient or shopping online, they are of little use to a consumer in a brick-and-mortar retail environment (i.e., at a physical store shelf). Thus, it would be desirable to provide additional ingredient information desired by consumers on the product packaging such that it is accessible by the consumer in a brick-and-mortar retail environment.
Providing additional ingredient information on the ingredient label and/or packaging of a personal care product such as a facial moisturizer may be particularly problematic since it is not uncommon for such products to be sold in relatively small packages. For example, some facial moisturizer products may be sold in a small box (e.g., secondary packaging) that has less than 12 square inches of useable surface area. Due to the relatively small size of the box, there may not be sufficient space on the packaging to include additional ingredient information. And while it may possible to increase the package size, this is not always desirable, since some consumers prefer smaller packaging for product portability and reduced environmental impact.
To provide consumers with at-shelf ingredient information, some cosmetic product manufacturers may include additional ingredient information on the ingredient label, but only for the key ingredients in the product. For example, a product that has tocopherol acetate listed in the ingredients may be followed by “Vitamin E” in parentheses. In another example, the key ingredients in the product may be listed in a separate portion of ingredient label and/or product packaging, for example, under the heading “Active Ingredients” or “Key Ingredients”.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide additional ingredient information to consumers that includes a more recognizable name for the ingredient and/or additional ingredient information. It would also be desirable to provide the additional information in a way that is compatible with current packaging for consumer products, especially consumer products that are sold in relatively small packages, such as skin care products.
Disclosed herein is a personal care product comprising a personal care composition disposed in a package and an ingredient label disposed on the package. The ingredient label includes a first portion containing a formal ingredient name for each ingredient in the product and a second portion containing at least one of an informal ingredient name and additional ingredient information that corresponds to the formal ingredient names in the first portion. In some embodiments, the ingredient label may further comprise a third portion that lists formal ingredient names for ingredients that are present in the product at less than a threshold amount (e.g., 0.1%).
At least some consumer goods manufacturers and government regulatory agencies have long sought ways to provide ingredient information to a consumer in an accurate yet informative way. However, limited space on product packaging and labels inhibits the amount of information that can be provided to the consumer. It has now been surprisingly discovered that providing additional ingredient information on an ingredient label can be done in a way that enables more efficient use of limited label space and improves product sales. In particular, it has been discovered that configuring the label to have certain dimensions and/or positioning the ingredient information on the label in a specific way allows ingredient information to be presented to a consumer in a user-friendly way, while still complying with the strict government labeling requirements for cosmetic products. Surprisingly, it has been found that a consumer may be more likely to buy a product with this type of ingredient label configuration, especially when the label provides additional information for active ingredients and/or ingredients that are present in appreciable amounts (e.g., greater than 0.5%).
As used in the description and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. All ingredient percentages disclosed herein are by weight of the total composition, unless specifically stated otherwise. All ratios are weight ratios, unless specifically stated otherwise. The number of significant digits conveys neither a limitation on the indicated amounts nor on the accuracy of the measurements. All numerical amounts are understood to be modified by the word “about” unless otherwise specifically indicated. All measurements are understood to be made at 25° C. and at ambient conditions, where “ambient conditions” means conditions under about one atmosphere of pressure and at about 50% relative humidity. All such weights as they pertain to listed ingredients are based on the active level and do not include carriers or by-products that may be included in commercially available materials, unless otherwise specified. All numeric ranges are combinable and include each value in the delineated range. Delineated upper and lower range limits are interchangeable to create further ranges not explicitly delineated.
The embodiments disclosed herein can comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of, the essential components as well as optional elements described herein. As used herein, “consisting essentially of” means that the embodiment or component may include additional ingredients, but only if the additional ingredients do not materially alter the basic and novel characteristics of the claimed embodiment.
“About” modifies a particular value by referring to a range equal to plus or minus twenty percent (+/−20%) or less (e.g., less than 15%, 10%, or even less than 5%) of the stated value.
“Active ingredient” means a compound(s) that, when applied to target surface (e.g., keratinous tissue), provides a benefit or improvement.
“Additional ingredient information” means any information other than a formal ingredient name or an informal ingredient name that is provided on a product package in a retail environment and related to an ingredient in the product.
“Cosmetic” means a product intended to be applied to the human body for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance of a person, which does not require a prescription or administration by a licensed medical professional.
“Dermatologically acceptable” means that the compositions or components thereof so described are suitable for use in contact with mammalian keratinous tissue without undue toxicity, incompatibility, instability, allergic response, and the like.
“Disposed” means an element is positioned in a particular place relative to another element.
“Effective amount” means an amount of a compound or composition sufficient to significantly induce a positive benefit to keratinous tissue, such as a health, appearance, and/or feel benefit, including, independently or in combination, the benefits disclosed herein, but low enough to avoid serious side effects (i.e., to provide a reasonable benefit to risk ratio, within the scope of sound judgment of the skilled artisan). An effective amount of an active ingredient is an amount of sufficient to regulate a desired condition of mammalian keratinous tissue when topically applied thereto in a personal care composition over the course of a treatment period.
“Formal ingredient name” refers to an ingredient name from a uniform system of labeling names that are nationally and/or internationally recognized for use in the subject product. For example, in cosmetic products, the formal ingredient name is the International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient (“INCI”) name of the cosmetic ingredient as set forth by the International Nomenclature Committee and published by the Personal Care Products Council in the International Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary and Handbook.
“Informal ingredient name” refers to the name of an ingredient other than its formal ingredient name.
“Ingredient label” means any written or printed information distributed with a product that lists at least some of the ingredients in the product. For example, an ingredient label may be in the form of a list of product ingredients printed directly on the primary and/or secondary packaging of the product.
“Personal care composition” means a topical composition for regulating a condition of mammalian keratinous tissue (e.g., skin, hair, fingernails). Some nonlimiting examples of personal care compositions include skin creams, lotions, serums, shave prep compositions, body washes, deodorants and antiperspirants, shampoos, conditioners, toothpaste, tooth whiteners, oral rinses, combinations of these and the like.
“Primary packaging” means packaging in direct contact with the product contained therein. A nonlimiting example of a primary package is a jar that contains a facial skin moisturizer.
“Secondary packaging” means packaging that contains the primary package. A nonlimiting example of a secondary package is a box that contains a jar of facial skin moisturizer.
“Skin care” refers to regulating and/or improving a skin condition. Some nonlimiting examples of skin care products include skin creams, skin serums, skin moisturizers, skin lotions, facial cleansers, and body washes.
“Topical” refers to a composition that is intended to be applied to a bodily surface such as skin or hair.
Most, if not all, personal care products are required by government regulations to have an ingredient label that is visible to consumers. In some instances, the regulations governing ingredient labels can be strict, especially with regard to ingredient labels for cosmetic products that are topically applied to keratinous tissue such as skin and hair. The ingredient labels described herein function with the ingredient list on the label to provide a user-friendly, informative ingredient list to a consumer that complies with applicable labeling requirements. In other words, the list(s) of ingredients exploit the configuration of the label to provide additional ingredient information to a consumer compared to a conventional ingredient label.
The personal care products herein include a personal care composition disposed in a primary package such as a jar, bottle, or other suitable package known for containing personal care compositions of the type and an ingredient label disposed on the primary package. In some instances, the primary package containing the personal care composition may be disposed in a secondary package such as a box. The ingredient label may be located on the primary package and/or secondary package. The ingredient label may be printed directly on the product package (primary and/or secondary) or printed on a suitable substrate that is affixed to the package, e.g., using a suitable adhesive. The material used to make the package and/or label substrate is not particularly limited and may be any suitable material known in the art, as long as the information on the ingredient label is discernible by a person with 20/20 vision at a distance of between 12 and 18 inches under normal daytime lighting conditions. It is to be appreciated that the present disclosure also contemplates an ingredient label in the form of an insert, riser, display pack, leaflet, promotional literature or any other written or printed information distributed with the personal care product.
The present ingredient label and the ingredient information contained thereon are sized and positioned on the package to comply with all applicable government regulations and to present additional ingredient information desired by consumers. For cosmetic compositions, the ingredient label should be displayed prominently under customary conditions of purchase. For example, the ingredient label of a cosmetic skin care or hair care product should be displayed on the top or side of the primary and/or secondary package and not the bottom.
The package displaying the ingredient label to a consumer may have a total surface area of less than 650 cm2 (e.g., less than 520 cm2, 390 cm2, 320 cm2, 260 cm2, or even less than 200 cm2), but typically greater than 65 cm2. For example, the label may be located on a secondary package in the form of a box comprising 6 sides (i.e., 2 pairs of opposing side panels, a top panel and a bottom panel), each side having a surface area of between 15 cm2 and 160 cm2 (e.g., between 20 cm2 and 125 cm2, 25 cm2 and 100 cm2, or even between 30 cm2 and 75 cm2). In another example, the label may be located on the primary package in the form of a small jar that has one continuous side, and the portion of the jar containing the ingredient list may be between 10% and 75% (e.g., between 15% and 70%, 20% and 60%, or even between 25% and 50%) of the total surface area of the jar. Of course, it is to be appreciated that the primary and/or secondary package may be provided in any shape, with one or more equal or non-equal sides, as desired.
The ingredient labels described herein are particularly useful for products that have 10 or more ingredients (e.g., between 10 and 50 ingredients, between 12 and 40 ingredients, or even between 15 and 30 ingredients) due to the space limitations encountered on the label and/or package. To comply with government regulations and industry standards, it may be desirable for the letters and numbers used in the written information on the ingredient label to be 0.7 mm or more in height (e.g., at least 0.75 mm, 0.79 mm, 1.50 mm, 2.00 mm, 2.50 mm, 3.00 mm, 4.00 mm, 5.00 mm, or even at least 7.00 mm), but generally less than 1 cm in height. If the labeling surface is less than 77.4 cm2, then it may be desirable to ensure that the letters on the ingredient label are at least 0.79 mm in height. If the labeling surface is 77.4 cm2 or more, then it may be desirable to ensure that the letters on the ingredient label are at least 1.5 mm in height.
The ingredient label herein includes a first portion and a second portion for displaying ingredient information. The first portion of the ingredient label includes a list of formal ingredient names that correspond to some or all of the ingredients in the composition. In some instances, the list of formal ingredient names includes only those ingredients that are present in the composition at an amount of at least 0.1% (e.g., ingredients present at 0.5% or more, 1% or more, 2% or more, 3% or more, 4% or more, or 5% or more). The second portion of the ingredient label includes a list of informal ingredient names and/or additional ingredient information such as an ingredient function, ingredient benefit, and/or sourcing information (e.g., whether the ingredient is naturally, sustainably, and/or responsibly sourced). The informal ingredient name and/or additional ingredient information is positioned proximate the corresponding formal ingredient name such that a consumer can recognize the association between the formal ingredient name and the informal ingredient name and/or additional ingredient information.
In some instances, it may be desirable to highlight certain ingredient information in the first and/or second portions of the ingredient label to identify ingredients that are naturally, sustainably, and/or responsibly sourced. The ingredients may be highlighted by any suitable means known in the art (e.g., asterisk, caret, coloring, shading, bolding, italics, and combinations of these). In some instances, the means of highlighting may be selected to communicate additional information to a consumer. For example, the ingredient information may be highlighted using a symbol or color that consumers typically associate with naturally, sustainably, and/or responsibly sourced products (e.g., a tree, the Earth, a panda, a dolphin, the color green). Additionally or alternatively, the ingredient label may include a third portion where additional ingredient information corresponding to the highlighted ingredient information is provided. In some instances, the additional ingredient information related to the highlighted ingredient may be displayed on another portion of the package.
In contrast to the conventional label arrangement of
As illustrated in
In some instances, labeling regulations and/or industry standards may require listing the ingredients in the product from highest concentration to lowest concentration. In these instances, it may be desirable and/or necessary to an informal ingredient name in two or more separate locations on the ingredient label 200. For example, isohexadecane and dimethiconol are both skin conditioners, but are spatially separated from one another on the ingredient label 200 illustrated in
The first portion 210 and second portion 210 of the ingredient label 200 may be the same or different sizes. For example, the first portion 210 and second portion 220 may have a ratio of first portion surface area to second portion surface area of 1:1, as illustrated in
The first portion 310, second portion 320, and third portion 330 of the ingredient label 300 may all be the same size or different sizes. In some instances, it may be desirable to configure the first portion 310 of the ingredient label 300 to be smaller than the second portion 320 and/or the third portion 330 so that more information can be displayed in the second and/or third portions 320 and/or 330 of the ingredient label 300.
Cosmetic product ingredients are generally ordered from highest concentration to lowest concentration on the ingredient label, usually due to government regulations or an industry standard. However, in some instances, the regulation or standard may only apply to ingredients that are present at or above a certain threshold amount (e.g., 0.1%, 0.5%, or 1%). By configuring the ingredient label with an upper and lower portion 430 and 440, as shown in
While the present ingredient label is exemplified for use with personal care compositions such as cosmetic skin care product, hair care, grooming products, and oral care products (e.g., toothpaste, tooth whiteners, and oral rinses), it is to be appreciated that the present ingredient label can also be used to great advantage with other products where consumers desire more information about the ingredients in the product (e.g., personal health compositions such as vitamin and mineral supplements, laundry products, dishwashing products, hard surface cleaners, food, drinks, and medicine).
This example demonstrates the consumer preference for products with the present ingredient label versus products with a conventional ingredient label. A study was conducted in which 2000 panelists were shown the conventional ingredient label illustrated in
Surprisingly, twenty-six percent of the test panelists indicated they would buy the product with the ingredient label in
This example demonstrates how providing additional ingredient information on an ingredient label can influence consumer perception of a product. In this study, 80 panelists were presented with a list of ingredients commonly found in cosmetic skin care compositions. The panelists were first presented with just the list of ingredients and asked to identify each ingredient in the list as “good for me”, “bad for me”, or “not sure”. The chart in
The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Instead, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as “40 mm” is intended to mean “about 40 mm”.
Every document cited herein, including any cross referenced or related patent or application and any patent application or patent to which this application claims priority or benefit thereof, is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited. The citation of any document is not an admission that it is prior art with respect to any invention disclosed or claimed herein or that it alone, or in any combination with any other reference or references, teaches, suggests or discloses any such invention. Further, to the extent that any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with any meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition assigned to that term in this document shall govern.
While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to cover in the appended claims all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of this invention.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62937460 | Nov 2019 | US |