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Professional kitchen label printer: use-by/best-before dates, traceability and speed: the complete guide
In the food service industry, every food item, preparation or packaged dish must be clearly identified.
Labelling is not a mere administrative formality: it is proof of food safety compliance and a guarantee for the consumer.
Information in 3 points
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Accurate, legible use-by/best-before dates are essential for HACCP compliance.
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A professional label printer improves traceability and speeds up preparation.
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With ePackPro, HACCP labels are generated in one click, with no risk of error.
Food labelling: a cornerstone of safety and traceability
The Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, known as INCO, strictly governs the mandatory information:
- Use-by date (use-by date) or best-before date (minimum durability date),
- list of allergens present,
- lot or batch number,
- product name and sometimes storage conditions.
Incorrectly completed or illegible labelling can lead to a major food safety risk. In addition to the fines provided for under the Rural Code (Article L.233-4), it is above all customer trust and the restaurateur’s credibility that are at stake.
To meet these challenges, professional kitchens are increasingly turning to automated labelling.
Why switch to a professional label printer?
From manual marking to automated precision
Kitchens that still use rolls of blank labels or markers are well aware of the system’s limitations: date errors, loss of legibility, omissions… These minor errors add up and ultimately weaken overall traceability.
A professional label printer eliminates these inaccuracies: it automatically prints the required regulatory information, with legible, consistent text, without wasting time.
Result:
- Preparations are correctly dated,
- Stock rotation follows the FIFO (First In, First Out) method,
- HACCP checks become faster and more stress-free.
A boost for kitchen productivity
The time savings are considerable. Where a kitchen assistant had to manually write several pieces of information on each container, the label printer prints in just a few seconds a complete label. Productivity increases, and the team can focus on culinary quality rather than paperwork.
But beyond convenience, it is a driver of economic performance: fewer errors, less waste, and better control of raw material costs.
Choosing the right food label printer: the essential criteria
HACCP compatibility and regulatory requirements
Not all printers are equal. For use in on-site catering or for takeaway sales, it is essential that the label printer can handle:
- the use-by/best-before dates,
- the allergens,
- the lot or batch numbers,
- the in-house preparations (homemade dishes, sauces, desserts, etc.).
Ribbons and inks must be resistant to humidity, heat and cold, to ensure consistent legibility, even in cold storage.
Ergonomics and connectivity
An effective professional label printer must be easy to use: a clear touchscreen, an intuitive interface, and a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection to link it to a tablet in the kitchen.
The goal: a kitchen assistant should be able to print the right label without complex handling, even during peak service.
Consumables and profitability
Some printers require specific consumables (rolls, thermal ribbons, label formats). This cost must be anticipated when choosing the equipment.
Solutions integrated with a digitised HACCP software are often more cost-effective in the long term, as they combine equipment, traceability and maintenance.
Smart labelling with ePackPro: compliance and speed guaranteed
Digital technology has transformed HACCP management, and ePackPro is now the most comprehensive solution to automate and secure every step, from receiving to distribution.
HACCP labels generated automatically
From the ePackPro app, staff can create their labels in one click: use-by/best-before dates, allergens, batches, products or preparations are already integrated into the database. No manual re-entry: the label prints ready to apply, compliant with current regulations.
Complete, unified traceability
Each label is linked to its original batch; in the event of a product recall or inspection, traceability is complete and immediate.
Data is time-stamped and archived in the ePackPro cloud, ready to be presented during an audit or health inspection.
Tangible benefits for the kitchen team
- Printing time divided by 3,
- Zero date or allergen errors,
- Improved FIFO rotation,
- And above all: peace of mind during hygiene inspections.
With ePackPro, compliance is no longer a constraint, but an automatic process.
Digitising your labels means simplifying your entire HACCP process
Beyond printing, the challenge is the consistency of all HACCP procedures: temperature logs, traceability, cleaning plan, supplier monitoring, etc.
Automatic labelling is only one piece of the puzzle, but it is often the starting point.
By switching to ePackPro, restaurateurs centralise all their hygiene procedures in a single app:
- HACCP labels,
- Product and allergen sheets,
- Daily checks,
- Digital archiving and automatic alerts.
The result? A well-organised, secure kitchen that is continuously compliant, without unnecessary mental load.
A cost-effective investment for every type of establishment
A professional label printer is not a luxury reserved for large chains.
For a restaurant, local authority catering, a nursery or a central kitchen, the benefits are immediate:
- Less food waste,
- Less time spent on administrative tasks,
- Less stress during audits.
Get in touch
Ready to digitise your food preparation space?
We’d love to demo ePackPro in your place of work. Click below to book a demo or ask us to call you back. We’d love to meet.
FAQ – Everything you need to know about labelling in food service
What is the difference between a use-by date and a best-before date?
The use-by date indicates the date after which a product must no longer be consumed for food safety reasons.
The best-before date simply indicates how long the product retains its taste or nutritional qualities.
Do allergens have to appear on labels?
Yes, this is a requirement under the INCO Regulation: the 14 major allergens must be clearly indicated on labels or production sheets.
Can you print HACCP labels with ePackPro?
Yes, the built-in feature makes it possible to automatically generate compliant labels with all mandatory information: use-by date, best-before date, allergens, batches, etc.
Is a professional label printer enough to ensure HACCP compliance?
Not entirely: it facilitates traceability, but it is the overall HACCP monitoring system (checks, temperature logs, cleaning plans) that guarantees full compliance.
Would you like to learn more?
