As you develop a new product line for wholesale or retail, at some point you’ll be considering the best CBD packaging for your merchandise. Some options are better than others. In this article, we’ll discuss six best practices to keep in mind for different types of products plus CBD packaging requirements.
1. Choose Light-Blocking Containers (and Not Just for Oils)
It’s long been known that photons are CBD oil’s worst nemesis, so choose amber or dark blue bottles for your CBD oil. Remember, many consumers will keep their open containers in a handy place for daily access — they may not store them in the pantry or medicine cabinet. Therefore, it’s up to you to provide containers that block as much light as feasible for your marketing environment. You don’t want your oil drops to rapidly degrade because they are left on dressers and countertops.
While colorful gummies look very enticing in clear bottles, and the CBD may be more stable in the candy matrix, it’s still a good idea to keep them in the dark. Think about tinted bottles and tall labels to block as much light as possible. For gelcaps and dry formula pills, opaque white bottles look clean and reputable. They will block light, too, and look attractive in your marketing materials. It’s also a good idea to print storage instructions on your labels — something simple like, “Store in a dark place at room temperature”, or “avoid exposure to heat or light”
2. Think Airtight Containers for CBD Packaging
The second element that affects the freshness of your CBD formulas is air. The less atmospheric penetration into your packages, the better. Cardboard boxes are great for outer packaging, but glass, plastic and Mylar will help protect against open-air infiltration. Even capsules retain their CBD content longer in packaging designed to keep as much air away as possible. The use of desiccants can be helpful for absorbing moisture in certain bulk ingredient and finished goods products.
3. Add Best By or Expiration Dates
Clients and consumers will appreciate knowing how long your product will remain effective. Generally, CBD has about a two-year shelf life, but this is highly dependent on the purity of the ingredients, the matrix of the product, the packaging, and the storage environment. However, best practices mean customers should never receive a product that nudges close to the one-year mark. Good business relationships call for printing expiration dates, manufacturing dates, or best-if-used-by dates on the labels and to move product out the door as quickly as possible.
4. Transparency a Must for CBD Sources and Compliance
In a CBD world rife with substandard oils, or worse, dirty oils, consumers want to know where their product was grown and processed. Hemp products not grown in the United States and not compliant with hemp pilot programs often avoid printing sourcing information on their labels. While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) may not impose CBD packaging requirements that call for sourcing information (yet), you may prefer to include it for the sake of true transparency and to stand out as a quality brand.
5. Linking to the Certificates of Analysis
Third-party testing for cannabinoid content and purity is a baseline best industry practice. Every brand should have that information readily available. By providing the certificates on your website and linking them by QR code or lot numbers on your labels, you offer your clients and consumers peace of mind.
6. Regulatory Compliance on Labels
How you describe your CBD products and what information to include on your labels while complying with state, federal and international regulatory agencies will prove challenging. Since CBD lives in a regulatory gray area for now, you need to understand what information should be placed on your labels and what must not appear on them.
Fortunately, GenCanna can help you navigate the regulatory maze. With our vast experience in compliance and quality, you can rest assured you won’t be receiving a polite but threatening letter while generating the most marketing potential from your labels and CBD packaging.
As your business development plans proceed to CBD packaging requirements and choices, we’re standing by to guide you through the maze. From a totally customized private label plan to a turnkey quick start program, GenCanna can be your compliance and packaging partner. Contact us today to get started.
