Frivolous lawsuit claims are taking labeling in a whole new direction that borderline on silliness. Some labels wording is so off that you wonder what the manufacturer was
thinking. While labels provide relevant information that
many consumers find useful like warnings and contents, many consumers are finding labels that seem to little more than overstate the obvious. Has common sense gone out the window or do labels really need to contain so much information?
Once upon a dreary morning at a McDonald's drive through, an elderly woman tried to sip on hot coffee but spilled it on her lap. She won a lawsuit against McDonald claiming the cup didn't warn her that it was hot. Since then, many cautious companies have started including very over obvious tidbits of information on their products. Of course, certain information is necessary like knowing ingredients and processes that are related to allergies. But, do you need to be told that a bag of carrots contains the ingredients carrots? Most labels also are useful at warning of dangers or explaining guidelines of the product's usage.
But, does a consumer need to be told that a Harry Potter broom does not actually make a child fly?
Various sources in the different industries decide on label regulations. For example, the Food and Drug Association
(FDA) regulated ingredient and nutrition labels for the U.S.
food industry. As for label warnings and instructions, most company lawyers and some federal laws advise the wording.
Some websites poke fun at labels currently on today's market. One site, for example, DumbNetwork.com, has a large supply of examples that would amuse nearly every consumer:
- "Instructions: Put on food." Product: Heinz Ketchup
- "It is not suitable for driving under the conditions of poor light." Product: Ray Ban Sunglasses
- "Never iron clothes on the body." Product: Rowenta iron
- "Do not use while sleeping." Product: Blow dryer
Lots of labels instruct you on how to remove wrapping or empty the box contents first. This might sound silly at first, but many users are starting with many basic skills and require much spelled out. In other words, what seems obvious to you might not seem obvious to someone else ~ perhaps these words might make a great label some day!
Sometimes manufacturers include words that might sound like common sense but are actually attempts at discouraging unwanted use of their product. For example, did you know many golf carts have the warning "not for highway use" to discourage joy riding on the road.
Even though many labels sound ridiculous, these labels must be worded carefully to ward off frivolous lawsuits and from preventing consumers from doing something harmful. One hair-coloring manufacturer may have hit the real reason on the head when it used this warning on the side of its box, "Do not use as an ice cream topping".
Copyright 2005 Samson Bateson. All rights reserved.
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Samson Bateson is the owner and operator of Funk Label
the best on-line label resources site. For any questions or comments please visit his archive of articles:
http://www.funklabel.com/
