What is in a label?

We do our reasearch.

     Before we make a decision to carry a new product, we do research. It is amazing what you can learn from labels. We read MSDS sheets, get on-line and read the material the vendor gives us on the product. If we decide that it passes muster, then we decide if our customers really need it. What do we already carry that does the same job? Should we replace a product our customers know and trust? Would it be cheaper and better for our customers? Dominion fell into this category. It is the same product as Bayer Tree and Shrub, but we can sell the off brand for $10 cheaper. That was a no brainer. We have limited space, what can we do without, what didn’t sell? Every item on the shelves goes through the same process. It can be time-consuming and frustrating, but well worth it in the end.

Mistakes, (*) and Capitals    

 Over the years, we have learned to really look at the labels. We call it the label game. We recently found a mistake, on a product, that was so huge, we couldn’t believe it made it through the EPA labeling process. Whoever proof read the label should get a giant F (for FAIL as my teenager puts it). They need to go back and reprint their label and get it past by the EPA again. We are still waiting to hear back from that company…I wonder if they are still in business? Ever read a label and wonder what that little * was for? We spend the time to find out. The last * we tracked down was on an organic product…at least that was what the front of the label said. Next to the word “Organic” was a *. We searched the label and found in tiny letters that the * meant “based”. What does “based” mean? In fertilizer and pesticide terms, it means that there is more organic material than chemical material in the product. Just because it said organic, didn’t mean it was. We passed on this product because the label was misleading.

Another product we passed on, stated that it was organic and full of billions of beneficial microbes, fungi and bacteria. This sounded great…we love microscopic critters. The literature also stated that the product was sent through an 800 degree oven. 8oo degrees…don’t the micro-organisms die at that temperature? The sales rep didn’t know, he offered to have some one call us. We were informed that the oven would reach 800 degrees, but the product never got over 170 degrees, so the critters were safe. Was their statement misleading? What was the purpose of their statement? Were we supposed to be impressed by their oven? What were they trying to make us think?

    Another clue that what you’re looking at is not what it seems to be, is the use of capital or lower case letters where it seems odd to use them. Suddenly, in the middle of a description you find a capitalized word or group of words. Most of us would assume it is a typo. The EPA usually catches typo’s. Every word is under scrutiny. If a word in the middle of a sentence is capitalized, it usually means that it is a product, unto itself.  Recently, during our research we came across a product that the vendor has sworn is organic. The information that was offered to us, says “based”, has a protein source named as NPN (What the heck is that?). It also had “the Nitrogen component is a combination of Readily Available and Slow/Controlled Release sources”  and ” Controlled Release Nitrogen”. Why would those words be capitalized? We have contacted the supplier and the distributor and are still waiting for answers to our questions.

The Label is the Law    

The back side of a label, the part with the instructions, is strictly regulated by the law. Everything has to be in a specific order, colors, wording, size…all the way down to the font. This is one part of my job that I make no effort to memorize. Reading the label every time you are about to use a product makes sense. Labels change and they are not required to say so on the front of a package. It could be a different application rate, re-entry time (how long before you can go back into an area), temperature sensitivity or even the type of plant you can use it on. Trust me on this one. When Neem 1st came out on the market, I read the label and decided that aphids, on some hibiscus we had, would be a great 1st victim for this new product. I sprayed those little stinkers real good. To our shock, 24 hours later the hibiscus looked like they had been sprayed weed killer. The label didn’t say a thing about hibiscus. The next time we got a shipment in, it specifically stated “do not spray on hibiscus” (lesson learned on that one…).

Next time you’re looking for the a new product, whether it is gardening, cleaning a drain or that new food that will help you lose 5 pounds this week, read the label. If you see a (*)  on a label, search the label until you find what they are trying to hide. A (®) or (™) next to a word or phrase means that the company can legally put it on their product and no one else can. It doesn’t make their product better, it just means that they spent more money on the rights to make you think they are better, faster, cheaper or safer. We love playing the label game, it makes saying no thanks, easier.