The labels are designed to detect contamination in the finished products and have been developed to enable Northern Foods' SAP IT system to trace label fragments at any stage of the production process.

"For us there is the added benefit that all suppliers or manufacturers in the food industry can take advantage of this product," said Norprint food sector business development manager Roger Bennett.

Around 1m labels each year will be supplied to Northern Foods at its food production sites. According to Bennett, each standardised label can be developed in any design to make it unique for any of Northern Foods' companies.

The labels are produced through a lamination process and printed on Norprint's Mark Andy presses.