How to Print Expiry Dates on Bottles: 6 Ways Compared

Last Updated: 2026-09-03

An expiry date that rubs off a wet bottle is a compliance failure waiting to be found. How to print expiry date on bottles is really a materials question: glass and plastic shrug off some inks and absorb others, and the right method follows the bottle, not the catalog. Six practical ways cover nearly every case.

The Short Answer

Six methods cover the field, and the choice follows bottle material, line speed, and how permanent the code must be.

For most beverage and pharma lines, CIJ is the default because it prints on wet, curved, fast-moving glass reliably. TIJ wins where volumes are moderate and consumable simplicity matters; laser wins where the code must never fade.

What to Know in Practice

Whatever method you pick, test it the way the bottle will live: fill it, cap it, condensate it, and run it through your washing and storage cycle before judging the code. An expiry date that survives the filler but not the cooler has failed.

Check the regulatory side too. Food and pharma codes often need a specific format, and auditors read them after distribution conditions, not at the machine. Match the changeover process to your SKU count as well: lines that switch bottle sizes several times a shift need a coder whose date and message changes take seconds, not minutes, or the savings from a cheaper machine evaporate in lost line time.

About SHICAI

SHICAI builds industrial coding and marking equipment across inkjet and laser lines, for production and warehouse use. Machines ship with genuine components and tested consumables, and service and spares are arranged for export markets. The technical team answers directly rather than through a reseller chain.

Related Questions

Which ink sticks to plastic bottles?

Solvent-based and UV inks are the usual answers for polyolefins, but adhesion varies by resin and additives. A sample print on your actual bottle is the only reliable test.

Is laser better than inkjet for expiry dates?

Laser gives a permanent mark on glass with no consumables; inkjet is cheaper to start and easier on curved or colored plastic. Durability requirements decide.

How do I stop codes washing off condensating bottles?

Match the ink’s cure time to your filling sequence and test after refrigeration. This is a chemistry question, and your supplier should run the test with you.

Learn more about continuous inkjet technology and ISO 9001 quality management.