| People aren't the only ones getting tattoos these days. | | | | they'd prefer not to serve the pieces that have writing |
| Pretty soon you'll see fruits and vegetables with writing | | | | on them. Writing on vegetables, whether or not it's |
| on them in the grocery stores. Instead of using stickers, | | | | edible, can seem unappealing. And removing the |
| fruit and vegetable labelers will be carving out names | | | | written on part ahead of time, or seeking out the cut |
| and expiration dates from the skin. | | | | up pieces with the writing can be much more of a |
| A new laser technology has been developed in the | | | | hassle than removing a label. |
| past couple of years to etch out "labels" from the skin | | | | Will people buy tattooed produce? |
| of both hard-skinned and soft-skinned fruits and | | | | The fact of the matter is anything new might be slow |
| vegetables. The system created by Hydroponics is | | | | to catch on, but once this new system of labeling is |
| called the Natural Light Label System and has already | | | | implemented, there shouldn't be much difference. |
| been used in farms in South Carolina. | | | | Stickers are considered commonplace for the time |
| Is it better? | | | | being, but in the long run, stickered fruits and |
| Developers of the laser labeling machines claim that it | | | | vegetables will probably be replaced. To put it another |
| is. Of course they need to say this to sell their product, | | | | way, consumers aren't in control of what fruits and |
| but many of the benefits they point out for consumers | | | | vegetables turn up in grocery stores; the retailers are. |
| make sense. | | | | But, predicted consumer behavior is an important |
| If you compare the laser etching to the current sticker | | | | factor for retailers. In order for consumer behavior to |
| labels, there are a great deal of benefits. For one, you | | | | fare well in the eyes of retailers, consumers will need |
| don't have to deal with peeling off a sticker at all. Two, | | | | to be aware of the technology's benefits. So, in a |
| there will be no potentially harmful and unhealthy | | | | nutshell, the key is education. Hydroponics conducted a |
| adhesive residue left behind. And three, there is no | | | | survey in 4 different big cities asking whether or not |
| potential harm of accidentally ingesting a sticker. You | | | | they would purchase tattooed produce. The result |
| can just wash your produce and eat it. | | | | was: " When educated about laser labeling, consumers |
| On the other hand, some fruit and vegetable | | | | preferred it to the current labelling on edible skin/hard |
| consumers say that they would prefer a removable | | | | skin fruit and produce. |
| label. Say they're chopping up vegetables for a party, | | | | |