PRG0019-15 Requirements For Labels

Specification
Spec. no: IOS-PRG-0019

Date: 2020-02-17
Version no: AA-24237-15 Requirements for labels
Issued by Signature Authorised by Signature

Daniel Ericsson, Richard Nilsson,
Communication Leader, Requirement Engineering Manager,
Range & Product Communication, Range & Product Development,
Marketing & Communication Design, IKEA of Sweden AB
Marketing & Communication,
IKEA of Sweden AB
Requirements for labels
About this specification

This specification describes general and specific requirements for labels.
Additional requirements to those stated in this specification may exist in other documentation.
The requirements in this specification do not apply to leaflet labels.
Implementation of changes
Changes in this specification, version number 24237-15, shall be implemented in production of the IKEA
sales item, at the latest from the production date 2036 (year 2020 week 36).
Stock priority
Stock not compliant with the requirements in this specification shall be shipped to IKEA before shipping
stock compliant with this version.
© Inter IKEA Systems B.V. 1998-2020 Page 1 (25)

Specification
Date: 2020-02-17
Table of contents
1 General requirements ........................................................................................................................ 3
2 Requirements for registration of labels in DWP ............................................................................. 3
3 Label material requirements ............................................................................................................ 4
3.1 Paper label material .................................................................................................................. 4
3.2 Pasted paper label ..................................................................................................................... 4
3.3 Plastic label material ................................................................................................................. 4
4 Requirements for application of labels ............................................................................................ 5
4.1 Adhesive label ............................................................................................................................ 5
4.1.1 Labels on packaging ........................................................................................................................... 5
4.1.2 Labels on products ............................................................................................................................. 5
4.2 Sewn-on label ............................................................................................................................. 6
4.3 Hung-on label ............................................................................................................................. 6
5 Label content requirements ............................................................................................................. 6
5.1 General label ............................................................................................................................... 6
5.2 Bar code....................................................................................................................................... 6
6 Colour dot requirements ....................................................................................................................7
7 Unit load label (ULL) requirements .................................................................................................. 8
7.1 Printer and scanner for ULL ...................................................................................................... 8
7.2 ULL material ............................................................................................................................... 8
7.3 ULL areas ..................................................................................................................................... 8
7.3.1 IKEA area content ..............................................................................................................................10
7.3.2 Bar code area content ....................................................................................................................... 11
7.4 Data elements ........................................................................................................................... 13
7.5 Quality on ULL grade (B) ..........................................................................................................13
7.6 Additional requirements ..........................................................................................................13
8 Top filling solution label requirements ..........................................................................................14
9 Label placement requirements ........................................................................................................14
9.1 Placement of identification labels on consumer packaging ................................................14
9.2 Products consisting of multiple packages .............................................................................16
9.3 Minimum Delivery Quantity label placement........................................................................ 17
9.4 Colour identification die cut .................................................................................................... 17
9.5 Main Product Illustration (ILA) label placement ...................................................................18
9.6 ULL placement ...........................................................................................................................18
9.7 Top filling label placement....................................................................................................... 21
10 Requirements for verification ..........................................................................................................22
11 Definitions ..........................................................................................................................................22
12 References ......................................................................................................................................... 23
Appendix A: Information about self declaration for pasted paper labels on products .................... 25

Specification
Date: 2020-02-17
1 General requirements
The relevant marking shall be printed on the label, product, or packaging according to the original
provided in the IKEA Product Documentation, without decreasing the size or changing the font or content.
The above requirements shall apply unless otherwise stated in the IKEA Product Documentation.
All parts in black of the printed original and labels that are printed on a package shall be printed in 100%
black (greyscale). If the labels are printed on a transparent plastic with dark inside content, the following
solution is allowed:
 All information (except the barcode) shall be printed in 100% white.
 The barcode shall be printed in process black over a 100% white background square.
Note: It is allowed to remove the label ID from the following label types: care instruction labels, material
labels, and weight labels.
2 Requirements for registration of labels in DWP

Registration in the Dimension Weights and Packaging (DWP) system shall be done when:
 A new label is introduced.
 The weight of the label is changed.
 The application method (for example, pasted label to printed labels) is changed.
For registration of labels in DWP, the following requirements shall be fulfilled:

 The weight of the materials (paper, plastic, and so on) used for all labels on the product and
packaging solution shall be reported in DWP.
 The actual weight of the labels shall be measured and registered in DWP before dispatch from the
supplier.
 The label shall be defined in DWP as: part/function: Label.
Note: Requirements regarding registration of labels in DWP are applicable for all labels on the product or
on the packaging.

Specification
Date: 2020-02-17
3 Label material requirements

The following requirements concerning heavy metals shall be fulfilled for all label materials:
 Label materials shall not contain intentionally added lead, mercury, cadmium, or hexavalent
chromium, including their compounds.
 The sum of the concentration of incidental (contaminants) lead, mercury, cadmium, and hexavalent
chromium in the label material shall be less than 100 mg/kg.
3.1 Paper label material

The paper material for any label shall:
 Either be totally chlorine free (TCF) paper or elementary chlorine free (ECF) paper.
 Not contain any kind of Bisphenols, such as Bisphenol A or Bisphenol S.
3.2 Pasted paper label

Paper labels face stock paper shall fulfil the requirements described in Table 1.
Table 1: Requirements for paper labels face stock paper

Property Requirement Standard/Test Method
Opacity Min 83% ISO 2471
Brightness Min 70% ISO 2470-1, D65 light source
Surface roughness Roughness ≤ 3.3 µm ISO 8791-4 (PPS)
For pasted labels on the product, compliance shall be documented according to the self declaration in
Appendix A.
A self declaration is not required for pasted labels on the packaging or if the IKEA Product Documentation
states that the label shall be permanent.
3.3 Plastic label material

The following requirements apply to plastic label materials:
 All plastic material used as label material shall be recyclable, regardless of quality and production
process.
 Plastic label materials shall be 100% virgin fossil free at latest the year 2030.
 It is not allowed to use PVC.

Specification
Date: 2020-02-17
4 Requirements for application of labels

The IKEA Product Documentation specifies how a label shall be applied to the product or package.
Requirements concerning the application of labels are described in sections 4.1 to 4.3.
4.1 Adhesive label

Label adhesive for different surfaces shall be handled according to sections 4.1.1 and 4.1.2.
4.1.1 Labels on packaging

For labels on packaging materials the following requirements shall be fulfilled:
 Adhesive of good quality shall be used so that the label does not come off. Hot melt adhesive is
recommended.
 It shall not be possible to remove the label without destroying it.
 The label shall not be removable 12 hours after application.
4.1.2 Labels on products

Labels shall stick to the product, be able to be removed by hand, and not leave any glue rests or damage
the surfaces of the product once removed. The barcode shall be destroyed when the label is removed.
This does not apply if the IKEA Product Documentation states that the label shall be permanent.
For the product materials in Table 2, the following requirements shall be fulfilled:
 Test values shall be fulfilled.
 The test shall be performed according to FINAT1 standard test methods, using glass as the test
surface material.
Table 2: Adhesion test values per product material group

Product material Equivalent materials 90° peel adhesion Initial tack test glass [N]
main group glass [N/25 mm] FINAT, FTM 9
FINAT, FTM 2
Glass None 1-5 2-8
Stainless steel (SS) Carbon Steel (included surface 1-5 2-8
treated), Zamak, Aluminium
(including surface treated)
PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), Brass,
Cast Iron
Ceramics None 1-5 2-8
Polyethylene None 1-5 2-8
terephthalate (PET)
Polypropylene (PP) PC (Polycarbonate), ABS (Acrylonitrile 2-6 4-8
butadiene styrene)
Polyethylene (PE) EVA (Ethylene-vinyl acetate), Silicon 2-6 4-8
Wood Wood based materials (particle 2-6 4-8
board, plywood, MDF, HDF -
including surface treated)
Compliance shall be documented according to the self declaration in Appendix A.
1
Féderation Internationale des fabricants et transformateurs d’Adhésifs et Thermocollants sur papier et autres supports.

Specification
Date: 2020-02-17
4.2 Sewn-on label

For sewn on labels the following requirements shall be fulfilled:
 Labels shall be durable and securely attached.
 Labels shall be white and be able to withstand the cleaning instructions given for the article to
which it is attached, throughout the useful life of the article.
 Label content shall be easily legible and remain legible throughout the useful life of the article.
4.3 Hung-on label

Labels that are hung shall be:
 Applied with plastic or fibre based material strips to the product.
 TCF or ECF cardboard, quality 250 g/m2.
5 Label content requirements

Specific label information is found in the IKEA Product Documentation.
Requirements for the content of labels are described in sections 5.1 to 5.2.
5.1 General label

Production related information or other requested information may be added to the label in the dedicated
area (see Figure 1). For details about allowed content see IOS-M-0002.
Figure 1: Dedicated area of production related information
5.2 Bar code

The bar code for consumer packaging and the bar code for multipack is interleaved 2 of 5. The bar code for
identification labels and the Minimum Delivery Quantity labels both use the interleaved 2 of 5, but have a
different suffix (number at the end of the code) and therefore the original given by IKEA shall be used
without changes to the size and content. Bar code information consists of an article number, supplier
number, and a suffix. The suffix at the end of the code is “9” for consumer package and “2” for the
Minimum Delivery Quantity package.

Specification
Date: 2020-02-17
6 Colour dot requirements

If nothing else is specified in the IKEA Product Documentation, an identification label with a decided area
for a colour dot shall be used when a colour dot is required.
If several identification labels are used, each label shall be marked with the same colour dot. Table 3
describes the requirements for the colour dot.
Table 3: Colour dot label requirements

Properties Requirements
Self-adhesive material Hot melt adhesive is recommended. The label shall not be removable 12 hours after
application.
Backing material See section 3.1.
Surface paper material See Table 2.
Size Ø 10 mm or 30 mm, according to the size indicated in the IKEA Product Documentation.
Colour Predefined colour according to the IKEA Product documentation.
The separate colour dot label shall be placed on the identification label (see Figure 2 and Figure 3).
Note: Colour dots can be printed directly on the identification label (see Figure 2 and Figure 3) as long as
the colour match the original. For identification labels printed on white paper, a circle can be printed on
the label instead of a white colour dot.
Figure 2: Example of a label with a colour dot (Ø 30 mm)
Figure 3: Example of a label with a colour dot (Ø 10 mm)

Specification
Date: 2020-02-17
7 Unit load label (ULL) requirements

Requirements concerning ULL are described in sections 7.1 to 7.6.
7.1 Printer and scanner for ULL

The following requirements shall be fulfilled:
 The printer for the ULL shall comply with ISO/IEC 15419.
 The scanner and decoder for the ULL shall comply with ISO/IEC 15423.
7.2 ULL material

 Card/tag stock is buff/off-white in colour but is considered white for this document.
 The information on the label shall be printed in black.
 The recommended label substrate is 160-170 g/m2 and weather-resistant. If the adhesive label is
glued on a surface, the paper may be of lower weight (for example 80 g/m2). All labels shall be
durable enough to ensure readability at its destination.
 Adhesive labels may be pressure-sensitive or dry-gummed as long as adherence to the package
substrate is assured. If adhesive labels are used on re-usable packages the adhesive shall be
removable without mechanical or chemical force.
 Tags shall be capable of accepting the labels as described plus the material necessary to add a
reinforced eyelet.
 The label material shall be compatible with or removable from the substrate material to which it is
attached to if the label is attached to a material which is to be recycled.
7.3 ULL areas

The unit load labels have mandatory areas and an optional area, see Table 4.
Table 4: ULL area requirements

Area Type
Supplier area Optional
IKEA area Mandatory
Bar code area Mandatory
The supplier can choose one of the following two ULL sizes:
 ULL with width 148mm, which includes the optional supplier area in the template (see Figure 4).
 ULL with width 105mm, which does not include the optional supplier area (see Figure 5).
o An optional supplier area can be added on the 105 mm label, with the same height as
presented on the 148 mm label (see Figure 6).

 If the supplier area is used on the ULL 105, the date stamp bar code is required.
 The location of the optional supplier area on the ULL 105 shall be below the unit load stacking
capacity/unit load foot print area and above the IKEA area.
 The minimum length of the ULL is 250 mm for both ULL 148 and ULL 105.

Specification
Date: 2020-02-17
Figure 4: Example of ULL 148, with the supplier area
Figure 5: Example of ULL 105 without the supplier area Figure 6: Example of ULL 105 with the supplier area
Each area is intended for specific data and shall comply with the following requirements:
 Data content shall not exceed the limits of the stated area.
 No other data shall be printed in these areas.
 Each area shall be separated by lines with a thickness of 2 point (that is 0.5 mm).
 At the top part of the IKEA area, there shall be a centred vertical separation line of a thickness of
6 point (that is 1.5 mm).
Note: In the optional supplier area it is not allowed to print a Serial Shipping Container Code (SSCC) in
linear bar code.

Specification
Date: 2020-02-17
7.3.1 IKEA area content

Mandatory content of the IKEA area is illustrated in Figure 7 and listed in Table 5 and Table 6.
The font to be used for the content shown in Table 5 and Table 6 shall be Arial narrow.
Figure 7: Example of mandatory content in IKEA area
Table 5: Mandatory content for ULL 148 (148 X 260)

No. in Label Font size Label data taken from DWP Field size max Font size for data
figure heading characters taken from DWP
1 Article 12 point, IKEA article number 54 point, 13.5 mm, bold
8
number 3.0 mm, bold 8 characters allowed
2 Supplier 12 point, Supplier number 12 point, 3.0 mm, bold
8
3.0 mm, bold 5-15 characters allowed
3 Date 12 point, Packing date (YYWW) 36 point, 9.0 mm, bold
8
stamp 3.0 mm, bold 4-15 characters allowed
4 Quantity 12 point, Article quantity of unit load 12 point, 3.0 mm, bold
8
3.0 mm, bold 5-15 characters allowed
5 Gross 12 point, Weight of unit load in kg 54 point, 13.5 mm, bold
4
Weight 3.0 mm, bold 3 characters allowed
6 IKEA ULL 8 point, Current version x.xx 8 point, 2.0 mm, not
Version 2.0 mm, not shall be replaced with the bold
4
bold version number that the ULL is
based upon.
7 Unit Load 48 points, Weight in kg 48 points, 13 mm, bold
Stacking 13 mm, bold 4 Unit (Kg): min 16
Capacity points, 4.4mm
8 Unit Load 48 points, Unit Load Gross Length/width in 48 points, 13 mm, bold
foot print 13 mm, bold mm 4 Unit (mm):
min 16 points, 4.4 mm

Specification
Date: 2020-02-17
Table 6: Mandatory content for ULL 105 (105 X 260)

No. in Label Font size Label data taken from Field size max Font size
figure headings DWP characters
1 Article 12 point, IKEA article number 39 point, 10 mm, bold
8
number 3.0 mm, bold
2 Supplier 12 point, Supplier number 12 point, 3.0 mm, bold
8
3.0 mm, bold
3 Date stamp 12 point, Packing date (YYWW) 36 point, 9.0 mm, bold
8
3.0 mm, bold
4 Quantity 12 point, Article quantity of unit load 12 point, 3.0 mm, bold
8
3.0 mm, bold
5 Gross 12 point, Weight of unit load in kg 54 point, 13.5 mm, bold
4
Weight 3.0 mm, bold
6 IKEA ULL 6 point, 1.5 mm, Current version x.xx 6 point, 1.5 mm, not
Version not bold shall be replaced with the bold
4
version number that the
ULL is based upon
7 Unit Load KG identifier 18 Weight in kg 39 point, 10 mm, bold
Stacking point 4.5 mm, 4 Unit (Kg) :
Capacity bold 18 points, 5.5mm
8 Unit Load MM identifier 18 Unit Load Gross 39 point, 10 mm, bold
foot print point 4.5 mm, Length/Width in mm (2 4 Unit (mm):
bold Lines) 18 points, 5.5 mm
7.3.2 Bar code area content

Mandatory content regarding the bar code area is illustrated in Figure 8 and listed in Table 7.
Figure 8: Example of mandatory content in the bar code area

Specification
Date: 2020-02-17
Table 7: Mandatory content regarding Bar code area

No. in Bar code No. Barcode Data identifier(DI) Barcode No. of
figure areas of height characters
lines
1 Date stamp 1 GS1-128 Label with supplier area: 32 mm Label with
(EAN 128)  AI 00 - separate bar code supplier area
(horizontal and vertical) shall have max
 AI 240, AI 91 and AI 30 - 29
concatenated
Label without supplier area: Label without
 AI 00 - separate bar code supplier area
 AI 240 and AI 30 - 23
concatenated bar code
 AI 91 - separate bar code
2 Concatenated GS1-128 Label with supplier area Label with
Bar code (EAN 128)  AI 00 - separate bar code supplier area
 AI 240, AI 91 and AI 30 - 29
concatenated
Label without supplier area: Label without
 AI 00 - separate bar code supplier area
 AI 240 and AI 30 - 23
concatenated bar code
 AI 91 - separate bar code
3 SSCC GS1-128 AI 00 18
(EAN 128)
4 Vertical SSCC GS1-128 AI 00 18
(EAN 128)

 Information regarding EAN/UCC documents shall be received from the GS1 global office or at local
GS1 member organisation in each market.
 To create an SSCC, a company prefix is required:
o If the supplier already has a company prefix, provided by GS1, it shall be used to produce
the SSCC used for sending goods to IKEA.
o If the supplier does not have a company prefix provided by GS1, IKEA shall arrange an IKEA
company prefix that the supplier can use only for sending goods to IKEA. Other company
prefixes are not traceable and are for this reason not accepted.
 The concatenated bar code GS1-128 (EAN 128) shall express IKEA article number, supplier number,
and quantity:
o If the label has a supplier area, the date stamp is included in the concatenated bar code.
o If the label does not have a supplier area, the label shall have a separate date stamp in the
bar code area.
o The quiet zone shall be at least 10X (10 x X-dimension) mm on both sides of the symbol.

Specification
Date: 2020-02-17
7.4 Data elements

 All data elements encoded in a machine-readable medium (bar code) shall be preceded by the
appropriate data identifier (DI) as defined in ISO/IEC 15418 and ANSI MH10.8.2.
 The application identifier (AI) at UCC/EAN shall be used to create DI at ISO/IEC 15418.
 AI´s that is including identification of the organization (license plate) shall comply with the coding
structure at issuing agency code (IAC) established in:
o ISO/IEC 15459-1
o ISO/IEC 15459-2
7.5 Quality on ULL grade (B)

This section defines the verifying process quality requirements for the ULL. This is to ensure a common
ULL verification approach on a global level, where common verification processes are required. This will
guarantee similar results regardless of where the symbols are tested. The ease of readability when
scanning is critical.
ULL barcodes shall comply with CEN grade 3/ANSI grade B as stated in the specification and according to
ISO 15416. Self declarations and test reports are not required unless specifically requested by IKEA.
7.6 Additional requirements

 The date stamp on the ULL shall be the same as YYWW (date stamp) on the product label.
 If several date stamps for multi/consumer-packs exist on a pallet, the date stamp on the ULL shall
correspond to the oldest date stamp on the pallet (for example, if suppliers on a unit load place
articles marked with date stamps 1820 and 1819, on the ULL it shall be DS 1819). This follows the
same logic as required in IOS-M-0002 for date stamp on multipack.
 The pallet identification number for a unit load shall be unique and it is not allowed to re-use it on
another unit load.
 The unit load label creator has the responsibility to maintain and manage the successive links
between manufacturing batches and logistic units.
 If the receiver cannot secure the original unit load’s identity after re-building the unit loads
involved in the filling solution, a new identity shall be created (a new ULL).
 The label shall not be removable after 12 hours.

Specification
Date: 2020-02-17
8 Top filling solution label requirements

All top filling solutions shall be marked with a label (see Figure 9) on each part to secure that they can be
rebuilt back to a unit load with the same quantity and constraints as the standard unit load (see Table 8).
Figure 9: Label original AA-1803292
Table 8: Requirements for marking of filling solutions from standard unit loads
Property Requirements
Self-adhesive material Hot melt adhesive is recommended. The label shall not be removable after 12 hours
Application Pasted label
Size Dimension 150x105 mm
9 Label placement requirements

Requirements concerning label placement are stated in sections 9.1 to 9.7.
9.1 Placement of identification labels on consumer packaging

 All labels shall, if possible, be readable horizontally (see Figure 10). When space is lacking or when
readability is affected, the label may be put vertically (see Figure 11).
 On cylindrical consumer packages, the identification label shall be placed in the length direction
due to the readability of the barcode.
 Identification labels shall not be attached diagonally.
Figure 10: Horizontal identification label on consumer packaging Figure 11: Vertical identification
label on consumer packaging

Specification
Date: 2020-02-17
Table 9 describes the number and placement of identification labels on consumer packaging.
Table 9: Placement of identification labels on consumer packaging

Type Characteristic No. of labels Picture Label placement
A1 The products shall 1 label per Place the label in the upper left
always be placed in consumer corner of the short side according to
the same direction package the drawing.
regardless if it is a full All consumer labels shall be oriented
pallet or picked in the same direction within the unit
goods. load.
A side ≤ B side
A2 The product 2 labels per Place the label in the upper left
placement depends if consumer corner of the short side and in the
it is a full pallet or package upper left corner of the longest side
picked goods, and according to the drawing.
does not always need All consumer labels shall be oriented
to be in the same in the same direction within the unit
direction of the load.
racking system.
A side > B side
B1 The products shall 1 label per Place the label at the top, in the
always be placed in consumer closest left corner of the consumer
the same direction package package according to the drawing.
regardless if it is a full All consumer labels shall be oriented
pallet or if it is picked in the same direction within the unit
goods. Do not place a load.
label vertically due to C side < 12 mm (height)
limited space. Height A side < B side
of the consumer
package is less than
12 mm (outer
measurement).
B2 The product 2 labels per Always place the label at the top, in
placement depends if consumer the closest left corner of the
it is a full pallet or package consumer package, both on the
picked goods, and longest and the shortest side
does not always need according to the drawing below.
to be in the same All consumer labels shall be oriented
direction of the in the same direction within the unit
racking system. Do load.
not place a label
C side < 12 mm (height)
vertically due to
A side > B side
limited space. Height
of the consumer
package is less than
12 mm (outer
measurement).

Specification
Date: 2020-02-17
9.2 Products consisting of multiple packages

Consumer packages consisting of loose parts or multiple packages shall have an identification label on
each part, see Figure 12. Only identification label number 1 shall have a barcode.
Figure 12: Placement of identification labels
For products consisting of more than one package, number labels shall be used if indicated in the IKEA
Product Documentation. If possible, the number labels shall be placed on the right-hand side of the
identification label on the consumer packaging (see Figure 13). If this is not possible, the number label shall
be attached as close as possible to the identification label on the consumer packaging.
Figure 13: Placement of number labels
Note: The number labels illustrated in Figure 13 is presented in yellow colour and may not be visible after
printing this document.
Requirements regarding the properties of number labels are listed in

Table 10.
Table 10: Number label property requirements

Properties Requirements
Adhesive See section 4.1.1
Backing material See section 3.1
Surface paper material See Table 2
Size Dimension: 10 x 10, 20 x 20, or 35 x 35 mm
Colour PANTONE Yellow U/C

Specification
Date: 2020-02-17
Note: The consumer packaging identification label may be extended on the right-hand side to include the
number label.
9.3 Minimum Delivery Quantity label placement

The following requirements are applicable for Minimum Delivery Quantity labels:
 One label shall be applied per multi-pack packaging, module, RTS packaging solution. See Figure 14,
Figure 15, Figure 16, Figure 17, Figure 18.
 The label shall be placed in the upper left corner of the box, on the short side of the unit load (AL &
DL). See Figure 14, Figure 15, Figure 17, Figure 18. If the unit load is a half pallet (BL), the Minimum
Delivery Quantity label shall be placed on the long side of the unit load, see Figure 16.
 If the height of the multi-pack is less than 75 mm the Minimum Delivery Quantity label shall be
placed on the top of the box, see Figure 15.
 All Minimum Delivery Quantity labels shall if possible be readable in a horizontal direction. If there
is a lack of space, the label can be placed vertically.
 It is not allowed to attach the label diagonally.
 When using RTS packaging solutions, the label shall be placed on the part of the packaging that will
be removed during the unpacking in the store, see Figure 17.
 For modules, the Minimum Delivery Quantity label shall be placed on the stretch film that will be
removed during the unpacking in the store, see Figure 18.
 It is not allowed to attach the label directly on the consumer packaging or product. If indicated on
the Minimum Delivery Quantity label, a colour dot (Ø 10 mm) shall be used.
Figure 14: Figure 15: Figure 16: Figure 17: Figure 18:
Example of the Example of the Example of Minimum Example of the Example of label
Minimum Minimum Delivery Delivery Quantity Minimum Delivery placement on
Delivery Quantity Quantity label label placement on Quantity label stretch film, full
label placement placement on multi- RTS packaging placement on RTS pallet ( AL, DL)
on multi-packs packs lower than solution on half pallet packaging solution on
75 mm (BL) full pallet (AL, DL)
9.4 Colour identification die cut

IKEA uses colour dots and die cut to indicate the colour of the product in the consumer packaging. Colour
dots should always be the preferred solution. When a colour dot is required no die-cutting is allowed.
When a die cut will be used, then the following requirements shall be fulfilled:
 The die cut shall make a true part of the product’s colour visible.
 The die cut shall only be used on the horizontal surface of the consumer package and be located 35
mm from both edges (see Figure 19).
o If the true part of the product colour is not visible at this location, it is allowed to place the
die cut up to 100 mm from both edges. If the product colour is still not visible within this
range, a colour dot shall be used instead.

Specification
Date: 2020-02-17
Figure 19: Die cut placement
9.5 Main Product Illustration (ILA) label placement

When a Main Product Illustration label (ILA label) is required, it shall be placed on the horizontal surface
and located 35 mm from both edges, see Figure 20.
Figure 20: Example of ILA label placement
When an ILA label is required and the consumer package has a die cut, the ILA label shall be placed on the
right-hand side of the die cut, located 35 mm from the die cut and 35 mm from the edge, see Figure 21.
Figure 21: Example of ILA label placement together with die cut
9.6 ULL placement

The ULL does not replace the need for Minimum Delivery Quantity labels. IKEA follows the GS1 (EAN/UCC)
standard placement of the ULL.

 Each unit load shall have two labels; one on the long side and one on the short side of the unit load:
o The first unit load label shall be placed on the same side as the article/multi-pack label.
o The second unit load label shall be placed on the adjacent right side of the surface of the
unit load.
Specification
Date: 2020-02-17
 The labels shall be attached to the unit load according to measurement on the goods without any
handling material.
 The labels shall be placed on the length side and on the width side, to the right of the centre of the
goods, at least 50 mm from the edge.
 The labels shall be placed as high as possible, but not more than 550 mm from the bottom of the
goods and not less than 50 mm from the bottom, see Figure 22 and Figure 23. Consistency of
placement is critical to successful scanning.
Figure 22: Example ULL placement on a half pallet Figure 23: Example ULL placement on a full pallet
(BL) (AL and DL)
Because the height of the unit load can vary, there are alternative ULL placements applicable that are valid
for lower unit loads and modules, see Figure 24, Figure 25, and Figure 26. All other requirements shall still
apply.
Figure 24: Normal ULL placement
Normal placement of ULL is valid as long as a minimum of 50 mm is left empty from the top of the ULL to
the top surface of the unit load (see Figure 24). The requirement is valid for both ULL.

Specification
Date: 2020-02-17
Figure 25: Example ULL placement
Placement of ULL when the height of the unit load is too low for compliance (see Figure 25):
Turn the ULL 90° counter-clockwise. Placement when 1 is not possible. The same logic applies to both ULL.
Figure 26: Example ULL placement
ULL placement when 1 and 2 are not possible: Placement is on the top of the unit load. The same logic
applies to both ULL. The ULL on top shall be placed in such a way that it is avoiding the interference with
the paper pallet feet etc. from the unit load stacked on top etc. (see Figure 26).
In addition to the above-mentioned placement rules, the following requirements regarding ULL placement
shall be fulfilled:
 The ULL shall be placed so that the Minimum Delivery Quantity labels and/or consumer packaging
identification labels are not hidden.

Specification
Date: 2020-02-17
 Transparent packaging, shrink-wrap, or stretch film shall not make the ULL unreadable. Tape, seal,
welding, or flaps shall not hide the barcode.
 The ULL shall be applied parallel to the adjacent vertical edge. This is very important since the
barcodes will be scanned by automated scanners, which only scan in one direction.
 The ULL shall not wrap around the corner of a box, as this will prevent scanning.
 Creased labels, peeling labels, or labels applied to an uneven surface (box joint) shall be replaced
before being dispatched to IKEA since they cannot be scanned.
 The label shall be visible for the loader and un-loader.
 If there are additional ULLs, apart from the two required, all labels shall comply with the
placement rules.
 It is not acceptable to place the labels directly on the boxes if the unit load consists of only
consumer packages or is an RTS packaging solution. The unit load then requires some protection
before label application.
 Unit loads consisting of multi-pack packaging do not require any protection before label
application.
9.7 Top filling label placement

Every part shall have two labels per part (see Figure 27).
Figure 27: Example of mandatory labels
Example: The top filling solution described in Figure 27, is the second unit load that shall be rebuilt at the
goods receiving unit. If for example, 15 unit loads have been split, the serial number should follow from 1-
15 in a sequence. This info can be manually written on the label.
Note: If a unit load is divided horizontally into more parts than shown in Figure 27, the labelling
requirements are the same as described in the figure, only with one additionally upper part labelled.
It is not acceptable to place the labels directly on the boxes if the unit load consists of only consumer
packages or is an RTS packaging solution. The top filling label then requires protection before label
application. The top filling label shall be placed so that the Minimum Delivery Quantity labels and/or
consumer packaging identification labels are not hidden.

Specification
Date: 2020-02-17
10 Requirements for verification

Verification documents are not required to be registered in Connect. However, verification documents
shall be:
 Available before first delivery.
 Provided to IKEA on request within one working day.
 Retained by the supplier for at least 3 years.
11 Definitions
Table 11: Definitions
Term Definition
CEN grade 3/ANSI grade B Bar code print quality standard set in Europe by CEN, the Committee for European
Normalization. Bar code print quality standard in the USA set by ANSI, the
American National Standard Institute.
Dimension Weights and The dimension, weights and packaging information is a fundamental part of the
Packaging (DWP) IKEA information infrastructure and is used within many different functions within
IKEA.
Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) No chlorine gas, but other chemicals containing chlorine are used in the bleaching
process.
FINAT The European association for the self-adhesive label industry.
FTM FINAT test method.
Identification label A label that has a bar code.
Minimum Delivery Quantity A label for multipacks and modules. It is identifying the containing article and
label quantity within a multipack-packaging.
Multi-pack packaging Refers to a package designed to contain several consumer packages.
Picked goods A consumer pack that is picked from the unit load and is co-loaded with other
goods. Example: Minimum Delivery Quantity = 1.
Product Documentation An IT application through which product requirements are distributed to the IKEA
(PDOC) suppliers.
Quiet zone The blank margin on either side of a bar code that is used to tell the barcode
reader where a barcode's symbology starts and stops. The purpose of a quiet zone
is to prevent the reader from picking up information that does not pertain to the
bar code that is being scanned.
Ready-To-Sell packaging A product that can be sold without any single-item handling just by removing the
solution (RTS) transport packaging.
Totally Chlorine Free (TCF) No chlorine or chlorine derivatives used for the bleaching.
Unit load A manageable unit consisting of one or more consumer packages or several multi-
packages fixated to a handling material, designed to fit supply chain and storage
facilities.
Unit Load Foot Print area The area on top of the Unit Load Label which indicates the length and width of a
unit load.
Unit load label (ULL) A label used to track goods in the supply chain.
Unit Load Stacking Capacity The maximum weight (in kg) that can be stacked on top of the unit load.

Specification
Date: 2020-02-17
12 References
Table 12: References
Reference Name
ANSI MH10.8.2: 2006 Data Application Identifier Standard
ISO 15416: 2016 Automatic identification and data capture techniques — Bar code print quality test
specification — Linear symbols
ISO 2470-1:2016 Paper, board and pulps — Measurement of diffuse blue reflectance factor — Part
1: Indoor daylight conditions (ISO brightness)
ISO 2471: 2008 Paper and board — Determination of opacity (paper backing) — Diffuse
reflectance method
ISO 8791-4: 2007 Paper and board — Determination of roughness/smoothness (air leak methods) —
Part 4: Print-surf method
ISO/IEC 15418: 2009 Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques —
GS1 Application Identifiers and ASC MH10 Data Identifiers and maintenance
Bar code digital imaging and printing performance testing
Bar code scanner and decoder performance testing
ISO/IEC 15459-1: 2014 Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques —
Unique identification — Part 1: Individual transport units
ISO/IEC 15459-2: 2015 Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques —
Unique identification — Part 2: Registration procedures
IOS-M-0002 IKEA Specification: Manufacturing identification

Specification
Date: 2020-02-17
Summary of changes in version 15

Both structural and editorial changes have been made in this version compared to the previous version of
this specification (IOS-PRG-0019, AA-24237-14).
Changes to requirements are marked with a line in the left-hand margin. A double line to the left of a
heading means that a new section has been added or that the vast majority of the content in the section
has been changed.
Table 13: Summary of changes in version 15

Page Section Requirement Amendment
1 About this Statement added to exclude leaflet labels from
specification this specification.
3 1 General requirements  Updated requirement regarding label size.
 Added information for labels that are printed
on transparent plastic with dark inside
content.
 Added new note regarding label ID.
4 3.2 Pasted paper label Updated requirement regarding self declarations.
4 3.3 Plastic label material Updated requirements in bulleted list.
5 4.1.1 Labels on packaging Updated requirements in bulleted list.
5 4.1.2 Labels on product  Added requirement regarding barcodes.
 Updated the exception for permanent labels.
6 4.2 Sewn-on label Updated requirement in bulleted points.
6 5.1 General label  Updated text regarding product related
information.
 Updated Figure 1.
7 6 Colour dot requirements Updated Figure 2 and Figure 3.
10 7.3.1 IKEA area content  Updated Figure 7.
 Changes made to the “Font size for data
taken from DWP” column in Table 5 and Table
6.
14 9.1 Consumer packaging identification label Updated Error! Reference source not found.Figure
placement 10 and Figure 11.
16 9.2 Products consisting of multiple Updated the dimensions in Table 10
packages
17 9.3 Minimum Delivery Quantity label  Updated requirements in bulleted list.
placement  Updated Figure 16.
 Updated caption texts for Figure 14 to 18.
18 9.5 Main Product Illustration (ILA) Label New section and requirements added.
Placement
22 10 Requirements for verification Updated requirements for verification
documents.

Specification
Date: 2020-02-17
Appendix A: Information about self declaration for pasted paper labels

on products
This appendix contains information regarding how to handle self declarations for pasted paper labels on
products.
Frequency
The test shall always be carried out whenever there is a change of condition (for example, change of label
material supplier or failed test on material) or change in process parameters (for example, new
equipment). As a minimum, all self declarations shall always be renewed within 12 months.
Environment
The data, normally from the product data sheet, for self declaration shall be provided by the producer of
the pasted paper labels and does not require any involvement of an IKEA approved laboratory.
Self declaration for pasted paper labels on products

The form below or an equivalent with the same information shall be used to certify compliance with the
requirements for pasted paper labels properties according to specification IOS-PRG-0019 (AA-24237-15) with
the nominal values as stated below.
Table A. 1: Self declaration for paper labels

Label Opacity Brightness Surface Calliper 90° peel Initial tack
(%) [%] roughness (μm) adhesion test glass [N]
(μm) glass
[N/25 mm]
ISO 2471 ISO 2470-1, ISO 8791-4 FINAT, FTM 2 FINAT, FTM 9
D65 light
source
Average Average Average Average Average Average
Pasted paper
label XX
Pasted paper
label XX
Pasted paper
label XX

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Specification

Spec. no: IOS-PRG-0019

Issued by Signature Authorised by Signature

Requirements for labels

About this specification

The requirements in this specification do not apply to leaflet labels.

© Inter IKEA Systems B.V. 1998-2020 Page 1 (25)

© Inter IKEA Systems B.V. 1998-2020 Page 2 (25)

2 Requirements for registration of labels in DWP

For registration of labels in DWP, the following requirements shall be fulfilled:

© Inter IKEA Systems B.V. 1998-2020 Page 3 (25)

3 Label material requirements

3.1 Paper label material

3.2 Pasted paper label

Table 1: Requirements for paper labels face stock paper

3.3 Plastic label material

© Inter IKEA Systems B.V. 1998-2020 Page 4 (25)

4 Requirements for application of labels

4.1 Adhesive label

4.1.1 Labels on packaging

4.1.2 Labels on products

Table 2: Adhesion test values per product material group

Compliance shall be documented according to the self declaration in Appendix A.

© Inter IKEA Systems B.V. 1998-2020 Page 5 (25)

4.2 Sewn-on label

4.3 Hung-on label

5 Label content requirements

5.1 General label

Figure 1: Dedicated area of production related information

5.2 Bar code

© Inter IKEA Systems B.V. 1998-2020 Page 6 (25)

6 Colour dot requirements

Table 3: Colour dot label requirements

Figure 2: Example of a label with a colour dot (Ø 30 mm)

Figure 3: Example of a label with a colour dot (Ø 10 mm)

© Inter IKEA Systems B.V. 1998-2020 Page 7 (25)

7 Unit load label (ULL) requirements

7.1 Printer and scanner for ULL

7.2 ULL material

7.3 ULL areas

Table 4: ULL area requirements

The following requirements shall be fulfilled:

© Inter IKEA Systems B.V. 1998-2020 Page 8 (25)

Figure 4: Example of ULL 148, with the supplier area

© Inter IKEA Systems B.V. 1998-2020 Page 9 (25)

7.3.1 IKEA area content

Figure 7: Example of mandatory content in IKEA area

Table 5: Mandatory content for ULL 148 (148 X 260)

© Inter IKEA Systems B.V. 1998-2020 Page 10 (25)

Table 6: Mandatory content for ULL 105 (105 X 260)

7.3.2 Bar code area content

Figure 8: Example of mandatory content in the bar code area

© Inter IKEA Systems B.V. 1998-2020 Page 11 (25)

Table 7: Mandatory content regarding Bar code area

The following requirements shall be fulfilled:

© Inter IKEA Systems B.V. 1998-2020 Page 12 (25)

7.4 Data elements

7.5 Quality on ULL grade (B)

7.6 Additional requirements