Support Consistent, Rich Color in Retail Products

Retailers frequently struggle to deliver consistent color among products from multiple suppliers. When an end user ordering an additional or replacement product sees color variation, your brand — not your supplier — takes the blame.

That’s why it’s crucial for retailers, brand owners and manufacturers to actively manage color policies. Proactive policies help improve quality and help demonstrate compliance with more than 250 listed chemicals within safe harbor limits (SHL).

Business challenges from poor color management include:

• Notable inconsistencies among suppliers.
• Consumer complaints and poor reviews.
• Declining sales and brand reputation.

Take a proactive approach to color management

Because color is so intrinsic to an end user’s selection and enjoyment of a retail good, UL Solutions has developed a thorough approach for managing and monitoring color. Every day, we work with brand owners to mitigate color consistency risks via comprehensive color management throughout the product life cycle.

Our approach starts with a quality check at the initial lab dip process in which colors are developed and selected for product. At each production step, required quality checks are performed to identify defects and if failures are detected, we quickly design a plan for corrective actions. This sequential monitoring process helps minimize the impact of color errors.

Additionally, our team performs continuous auditing of retail products. We evaluate products based on product specifications and centralize our findings, as well as other metrics of color performance throughout the product life cycle, for easy customer review.

Case study: Pinpointing the source of color inconsistency

Recently, a United States-based retailer was experiencing a high rate of visible color defects among its private-label products. These problems were blamed for slower sales, higher return rates and shifts in brand perception.

But what was the source of the inconsistency? This retailer chose UL Solutions to collaborate with its in-house quality and product development teams to refine color management procedures. Our team determined that the retailer needed to engage more effectively with its suppliers regarding quality control.

Our approach to helping this retailer overcome color inconsistencies included discussions, brainstorming sessions and numerous pilot experiments. The result was a rigorous color management process that checks quality throughout the product life cycle and involves suppliers, laboratories and retailer staff.

UL Solutions connected the retailer with a digital platform to house all color data. With just a few simple actions, quality and product development teams can view data for each product step. This tool offers a side-by-side view for easy color checks.

A key part of the new color management process included developing corrective actions for color inconsistencies at each step in the production process. Now, the retailer can address issues much more quickly, affording them a smoother production process with less downtime.

This retailer is now enjoying a more streamlined, data-driven approach to color management that has resulted in more consistent color quality, as well as:

Shared expectations between the retailer and suppliers

Specific compliance markers throughout production

Standardized approach to corrective actions

Simplified monitoring of supplier performance

Protected brand reputation

How UL Solutions supports superior color management in retail products

As a global leader in testing, inspection and certification, UL Solutions brings scientific rigor to product development and manufacturing that leads to enhanced end user satisfaction and trust.

Our team offers rich expertise in the supply chain and retail quality expectations that empowers our customers to monitor performance more effectively. Combined with our technical leadership, we can help you identify potential problems and mitigate risks through efforts such as corrective action plans.

By collecting color management data into a shared digital tool, both retailers and suppliers gain timely updates on performance at each step of production. This shared view supports better working relationships between retailers and suppliers, with a shared spirit of accountability.

These approaches help retailers spot defects quickly, reduce waste during manufacturing and maintain production timelines. Constant vigilance pinpoints failures as products are developed, manufactured or while in market. Ultimately, this monitoring leads to consistent color quality within each store and across the retail footprint.