Jam and honey jar labels: sizes, what to include and materials

A good label makes a jar of jam or honey look the part. Before you start, answer three questions: what size, what information, and what material.

What size label?

Measure the height of the straight part of the jar and its diameter. The label shouldn't creep onto the shoulder or the curve at the bottom. As a rough guide:

• standard jam jar (around 370 ml / 1 lb): a front label of about 90 x 50 mm;
• small 227 g (8 oz) honey jar: about 70 x 40 mm;
• lid label: round and 10–15 mm smaller than the lid, so about 50 mm for a 63 mm lid.

A label that wraps all the way round makes people turn the jar to read it. On small jars, a front label plus a small back label usually works better.

What to put on the label

For homemade gifts, anything goes: the fruit, the date, a nice message.

If you sell your jars, food labelling rules apply (see what must go on a food label). On top of the general rules:

• jam and marmalade: the fruit content ("prepared with … g of fruit per 100 g") and the total sugar content;
• honey: the name "honey" and the country or countries of origin.

Rules differ between the UK and the EU and do change, so check your label with your local Trading Standards office or beekeeping association before a big order.

Paper or plastic?

• Matt paper: perfect for jars kept in the cupboard, and easy to write on.
• Polypropylene (PP): for jars that go in the fridge, get condensation or are handled a lot.
• Kraft paper: the handmade look, very popular for honey.

If customers bring jars back for refilling, ask for a removable adhesive. Otherwise, here's how to remove sticky labels.

Small batches or large runs

For a few jars, an A4 sticker sheet and an office printer will do. Once you get into hundreds of jars, printed labels on a roll work out cheaper and last better. A small 40 x 25 mm thermal label can carry the batch number and date, printed as you fill.