How to Make Juice Labels: A Complete Guide

Essential tips and design ideas for creating standout, compliant juice bottle labels

When it comes to selling juice in the U.S., your label has to do more than look good, it needs to meet FDA requirements, too. Clear, accurate labeling helps customers make informed choices and keeps your business compliant with federal regulations.

In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to include on your juice bottle labels, along with design tips and creative ideas to help your products pop off the shelf.

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What to include on your juice bottle labels

Before you get creative, make sure your labels include the required information. Juice bottles must meet Food and Drug Administration (FDA) labeling standards to ensure they’re not misbranded or misleading.

Product Display Panel (PDP)

This is the main part of your label. It’s the section customers see first. Think of it as your label’s “face.” It’s where key information and first impressions meet.

What to include:

• Common name: Use the product’s name, such as “Orange Juice.” This should be easy to read and not confused with your brand name.
• Fluid ounces: Show the net contents in fluid ounces, placed in the bottom 30% of the PDP.
• Brand name (optional): Including your brand logo on the PDP helps with recognition and repeat sales.

Information label (to the right of the PDP)

This area includes your product details and must appear directly to the right of the PDP, or as close as possible.

What to include:

• Name and address of manufacturer: The “signature line,” listing the name and contact info of the manufacturer, packer, or distributor. Text should be legible and at least 1/16″ tall.
• Ingredient declaration: List all ingredients, including juice percentages for blends and whether the juice is from concentrate.
• Warnings: If your juice is unpasteurized or made in a facility with allergens, add a clear warning.

Note: Small businesses with less than $500,000 in annual sales may be exempt from nutrition labeling. Check the FDA’s Food Labeling Guide for full details.

Optional info

You can also add elements like your brand story, serving suggestions, or a country of origin for imported juices. These extras help build trust and connect with consumers.

How to design your juice labels

Once the compliance details are covered, it’s time to design a label that grabs attention and reflects your brand’s personality.

1. Choose clean, readable fonts

Typography plays a huge role in how people perceive your juice. Go for fonts that feel fresh and approachable, not fussy or overly stylized. Sans-serif fonts tend to read best on curved surfaces like bottles, especially when printed in small sizes. Make sure essential details like “Orange Juice” or “12 fl oz” are easy to read from a few feet away, even when the bottle is sweating in a fridge.

You can pair your main typeface with a softer accent font for flavor names or taglines but don’t use too many styles at once. Consistency builds brand trust. When you’re laying out your text, center key details like your product name near the top of the label, then use smaller, well-spaced text for supporting information below.

Design tip: To help certain elements stand out, use a bolder weight or larger size for your product name or fruit percentage. For example, “100% Pineapple Juice” in bold font immediately catches the eye and looks confident.

2. Use colors that pop

Color instantly communicates freshness, flavor, and energy. Bright, juicy tones can spark appetite and curiosity, while muted palettes suggest sophistication and natural simplicity. Think deep orange for mango juice, rich crimson for cranberry, or pale green for cucumber blends. If you’re selling multiple flavors, using a consistent layout with a different color band or accent per flavor makes your lineup look cohesive on the shelf.

It’s also worth thinking about how your label will appear through the bottle. Transparent juice bottles allow color to shine through, so consider how your design complements the product itself. A transparent or semi-clear label can give a sleek, modern look, while an opaque background can make lighter juice colors stand out more clearly.

Design tip: Always test print colors before a full run. What looks bright on your screen may appear darker on glossy material or transparent film. A quick mockup can save you from dull, flat results.

3. Add imagery that feels authentic

Visuals are one of the fastest ways to communicate your juice’s flavor and quality. Fruit imagery works beautifully when done with restraint. Instead of large, literal photos that dominate the label, consider using clean, stylized illustrations or subtle background patterns that hint at the ingredients. A faint orange slice behind the logo or a splash of berry color near the flavor name can add energy without clutter.

Authenticity is key. Don’t imply your juice is something it’s not. If you’re making a blend, feature multiple fruits in your design so customers instantly know what to expect. If your product is cold-pressed, minimalist imagery and simple iconography often work best to signal purity and freshness.

Design tip: Balance your visuals and text. Leave breathing room between fruit images and the product name, and make sure imagery doesn’t interfere with legibility. When in doubt, think “clean, fresh, natural” like a farmer’s market table, not a crowded ad.

4. Try custom shapes and sizes

Label shape can completely change how your juice bottle looks and feels. A tall, vertical label emphasizes sleekness and modern appeal, while a wraparound design gives you space for storytelling and ingredient details. If your brand leans playful or artisanal, experiment with curved, scalloped, or wavy shapes that reflect your flavor personality (think tropical waves for pineapple or rounded leaf edges for green juice).

When choosing a size, hold a printed sample against your actual bottle to make sure proportions feel balanced. You don’t want a label that curls around the sides so far that customers can’t see the key info from the front. Make sure the label adheres smoothly to curved surfaces, with no bubbling or wrinkling at the edges.

Design tip: For high-end or organic juices, consider using a secondary neck label or a small top seal to add dimension. It creates a premium, boutique look and gives you space for fun touches like “Cold-Pressed Fresh Daily” or “Made in California.”

5. Showcase your brand personality

Your label is your voice on the shelf. It’s how your customers recognize you at a glance, even from behind the glass door of a cooler. Use color, fonts, and language that express your brand’s energy, whether it’s bold and youthful, refined and health-focused, or earthy and organic.

Keep your logo prominent but not overpowering. A simple mark near the top or center of your label builds recognition without stealing the spotlight from your product name. You can also incorporate subtle brand details like patterns, textures, or icons that tie into your story, like a leaf outline for a wellness brand or watercolor textures for craft juice makers.

Design tip: When designing a full flavor lineup, keep your branding consistent (logo, type, layout) but vary color accents or imagery for each flavor. That way, shoppers instantly see variety and cohesion.

6. Balance creativity with compliance

The best labels find the sweet spot between beauty and clarity. Make sure all required details like ingredient list, fluid ounces, and warnings, remain legible and in their correct positions. Use a hierarchy that separates the “must-haves” from the “nice-to-haves,” keeping compliance info grouped neatly in one area (usually on the back or side).

Avoid placing text too close to curved edges or bottle seams as it can distort or disappear when applied. And don’t let decorative elements like fruit images or taglines interfere with required copy. A clean, well-structured layout tells buyers your brand is both creative and professional.

Design tip: White space is your friend. It gives your design room to breathe and lets customers quickly find the info they need without feeling overwhelmed.

7. Use free design tools

If you’re not working with a designer, Avery Design & Print Online is an easy way to build professional-looking juice labels without any design experience. You can start from a blank template or choose a layout that fits your bottle size, then tweak fonts, upload images, and experiment with colors until you find the perfect balance.

Design tip: Print a few test sheets first. Stick them to your actual bottles to check placement, sizing, and readability in real lighting. It’s the fastest way to catch issues before you commit to a full print run.

How to order your juice labels

Once your label design is finalized and looks just the way you want it, it’s time to bring it to life. Whether you want to print a few samples to test your look or you’re ready to label your full juice lineup, Avery gives you flexible options for every stage of production.

Custom printing

If you want your bottles to have that crisp, professional finish, let Avery handle the printing for you. Our custom printed labels are made with precision color technology that keeps your greens vibrant, your reds rich, and your whites clean, so your juice looks as fresh on the shelf as it does in the bottle.

You can choose from a wide selection of label materials and finishes designed to fit your bottles perfectly. Glossy labels give juices a bright, polished look that stands out in retail settings, while matte finishes create a softer, artisanal vibe that works beautifully for cold-pressed or small-batch blends.

If your juice is sold chilled or stored in coolers, waterproof labels are a must. Avery custom printed waterproof materials resist moisture, peeling, and smudging, so your labels stay smooth and clear even when condensation hits. They’re also oil- and tear-resistant, making them a smart choice for refrigerated or on-the-go products.

Printing tip: Before placing a large order, print a small batch to test on your actual bottles. Check how your colors, text, and shapes look in natural and refrigerated lighting. This will help you catch subtle details that make a big difference.

Printable labels

If you want the flexibility to print labels as needed, Avery blank juice labels are an easy and affordable option. They work seamlessly with most laser and inkjet printers, so you can produce short runs or try new flavors on demand.

Our blank labels come in a range of materials and shapes to suit every juice style from square or oval labels for glass bottles to full-wrap options for plastic containers. You can also use the free Avery Design & Print Online tool to create and customize your artwork, then print it on demand right from your workspace.

Printing tip: For best results, use Avery labels designed for your printer type. Inkjet materials handle bright, saturated colors beautifully, while laser materials are ideal for sharp, durable text and fine detail.

Final thoughts

A great juice label does more than meet regulations—it captures your brand’s flavor and personality at first glance. By combining clear, compliant information with fresh, eye-catching design, you can make your juice stand out and stay compliant.

Whether you print at home or order custom labels through Avery, you’ve got everything you need to create labels that look as good as your juice tastes.

Start designing your juice labels today and get ready to make your bottles shine.