Running head: WHATS IN A LABEL

Whats in a Label
Camilla Cook
Salt Lake Community College
Bus 1040-Business Ethics
12/8/2016
Jeff Davis

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Whats in a Label
Warninglabelsofferlittlepositivevaluetoconsumers,insteadtheyoffergreaterbenefit

toacompanybyreducingtheexposurethecompanyhastolawsuitsforthemisuseofaproduct.
Insubsequentparagraphs,willoutlinethehistoryofwarninglabels,makeacasefortheirvalue
toacompanyandnottheconsumer,exploreincidentsofnecessity,andexamplesofcommon
sense.
Findings
Thehistoryofproductwarninglabelsbeganin1938withanactoftheUnitedStates
Congressrequiringfoodproductstohavealistofingredientsonthelabel.Sincethen,congress
hasenactedanumberoflawsconcerningproductlabels.(reference.com)Inthesubsequent78
yearswarninglabelshavebeenaddedtoamultitudeofdifferentproducts.Everythingfrom
individualpacksofcigarettes,outliningthehealthrisksofsmokingtolabelstellingapersonnot
toeattheirlaundrydetergent.

TherearethreetypesofwarninglabelsCaution,Warning,andDanger.Caution
indicatesapotentiallyhazardoussituationthat,ifnotavoided,mayresultinminorormoderate
injury.Warningindicatesapotentiallyhazardoussituationthat,ifnotavoided,couldresultin
deathorseriousinjury.Dangerindicatesanimminentlyhazardoussituationthat,ifnotavoided,
willresultindeathorseriousinjuryandisonlyusedinthemostextremesituations.(Wikipedia)
WeveallheardthetaleofthewomanwhosuccessfullysuedMcDonaldsbecauseshespilleda
cupofcoffeeonherlap.SincethatlawsuitinordertoprotectthemselvesMcDonaldshasnow
labeledeveryinsulatedcoffeecuptheyservewiththewarninglabelhot.Eventhoughcommon

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sensetellsyouthatthecontentsoftheinsulatedcupbeinghandedtoacustomeraftertheyhave
orderedacupofcoffeeshouldknowthatitishot.However,howoftenhaveyouheardofpeople
dyingfromchlorinegasinhalationbecausetheyaccidentallymixedbleachandammonia?The
answerisyoudont,potentiallyduetothefactthatbothbleachandammoniahavewarning
labelsstatingdonotmixwithotherchemicals.

Thenextquestionishowaffectivearewarninglabels?In1994RL.McCarthy,JP
Finnigan,andScottSKrummpublishedinHumanFactorsSocietyafterreviewing400articles
concerningwarninglabelsonproductssuchasseatbelts,healthproducts,andhousehold
chemicalsconcludingproductwarningshadnomeasurableimpactonuserbehaviororproduct
safety.Furthermore,theyconcludedevenincombinationwithintensiveeducationaland
multimediacampaignsthatwarninglabelsfailedtodemonstrateapositiveimpactonimproved
healthandsafety.Lastly,theystatedtheparticularwarninglabeltechniquewasineffectiveanda
misallocationofresources.(McCarty,Finnigan,Krumm,McCarthy1984, p. 81-85)Eventhough
thewarninglabelsspecificallyoutlinehealthriskstotheoverconsumptionofalcohol,human
beingshaveatendencytoconsiderriskvs.benefit.Anindividualwhoenjoystheconsumptionof
alcoholislessconcernedwiththehealthrisksthantheindividualwhodoesnt.

In2012tobaccocompanieswereorderedbyfederaljudgeGladysKesslerthrough
advertisementsandpackagewarningsthattheydeceivedAmericanconsumersfordecadesabout
thedangersofsmoking.(CNN)Governmentandindustrytogetherspendmorethan$30million
ayeartodealwithhazardousproductseventhoughthenumberofpeoplewhosehealthisatrisk

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fromthisspecialkindofgarbageisquitelow.Theannualexpenditureonantismoking
campaigns,ontheotherhand,isonlyabout$500millionayear,eventhoughsmokingisoneof
theleadingpreventablecausesofdeathinAmerica.(HonestWorkp.371)Accordingtothe
WorldHealthOrganizationtheannualglobaldeathtollcausedbysmokingis4million.By2030,
thatfigurewillriseto10millionwith70percentofthosedeathsoccurringindeveloping
countries.(WorldHealthOrganization)In2015theCDCreportedabout15ofevery100U.S.
adultsaged18yearsoroldercurrentlysmokedcigaretteswhichisareductionof6percentin
2005.(CDC)Duringthecourseofthelast10yearsweveseenadramaticincreaseinanti
smokingprograms.Theseprogramsrangefromcommercialsduringpopulartelevisionshows,
popupsonwebsites,radioads,socialmedia,toprogramswithinschoolstoeducateyoung
peopleontherisksofsmokingcigarettes.Basedonthisinformationitappearsasthoughwarning
labelsbythemselvesdonotprovideenoughinformationorincentivetostopusingaproduct.

WhenIwasyoungcarseatswerentamandatorysafetyfeatureforsmallchildrenriding
inavehicle.Thenumberofpeoplewhoevenworeseatbeltswasafractionofwhatitistoday,
andyoudidntseewarninglabelsoncarsaboutwearingyourseatbeltbackthen.Theairbagwas
stillyearsfrombeingemployedasasafetyfeatureinanautomobile.Thatamountstoa
dangeroussituation,therewerenowarninglabelsonthevisor,orpageafterpageofwarningsin
theownersmanual,itwasjustgetinyourcarandgo.TheyearIwasbornalonetherewere
44,525motorvehicledeaths,ofthatnumber3,643werelessthan13yearsofage.(iihs.org)Fast
forwardto2014standardsafetyfeaturesinacarincludeseatbelts,driverandpassengerairbags,
andcarseatsaremandatoryforchildrenofacertainageandweight.Also,flipdownthevisorof

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yourcarandyouwillfindalistofwarningssuchas,alwayswearyourseatbelt,dontsitsoclose
tothesteeringwheel,anddontputcarseatsinthefrontseat.Everyownersmanualhaspage
afterpageofwarningsabouttheproperuseofyourmotorvehicle.In2014thenumberofmotor
vehiclefatalitiesshrunkto32,675.Ofthose872werechildrenlessthan13yearsofage.
(iihs.org)Arewetobelievethereductioninmotorvehicledeathsisattributabletotheallmighty
warninglabel,oristhereanotherreason?IfMcCarthyetalaretobebelieved,thenthewarning
labelshadlittletonoimpactonthedeathtollandtherealreductionisduetocarsbecoming
moresafethroughmandatorysafetyrequirements.Thewarninglabelonyourvisorismorean
afterthoughtmeanttoprotectthemanufacturerthantheconsumer.

ReturningtotheexampleofthewomanwhospilledthepipinghotcupofMcDonalds
coffeeonherlap.Regardlessifthecuphadabrightredwarninglabelsayingcontents
extremelyhotandwillburnyouifspilleditcanbeassumedthatthewomanmaystillhave
spilledthecoffeeonherlap.AtthispointtheonlyprotectionisappliedtoMcDonaldsbecause
theyclearlywarnedthewomanthatthecontentswerehotandwouldburnherisspilled.And
therefore,cannolongerbefoundliableforanydamagedone.
Afurtherargumenttosupportourthesisarewarninglabelsonfireworks.Dopeoplereallyneed
tobewarnedthatdetonatingfireworksinyourhouseisabadidea.Therearewarninglabels
clearlystatedalloverafireworkandyeteveryyearhowmanyhouseburndownorhowmany
peopleareaddedtothelistofmissingfingers?Doweliveinadayandagewherewereallyneed
tobetoldthatelectricityandwaterdonotmix?However,oneveryhairdryerthereexistsabig
brightlabelstatingtoavoidusingtheproductwhileintheshower.

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Warninglabelsareignoredeverysingledaybytheaverageconsumer.Theonlyreason
theyexistiseitherbecausetheyaremandatorythroughsomeformofregulation,whetherthats
selfregulation,suchasPCIcompliance,orforcedregulationfromalegislativebody.These
warningsonlysucceedinprotectingthemanufacturerorproducerofaproductfromanyliability
whentheproductsaremisusedbytheconsumer.Thatsnottosaythefineprintshouldbe
ignoredbutthesimplefactisthattoregularlyitistothedetrimentoftheconsumerandthe
benefitofthecompany.

Pharmaceuticalcompanieshavewarninglabelsoneveryproducttheyoffer.Howmany
timeshaveyoubeenwatchingtelevisionandacommercialforthelatestanxietypillcomeson
explaininghowmuchbettertheworldwouldbeifonlyyoutookthisparticularpill.Displayedat
thebottomofthetelevisionadvertisementcanbefoundalonglistofpotentialsideeffectsanda
verbalizednotetoconsultyourdoctorbeforetakingtheproduct.Fromtimetotimethelistof
sideeffectsisatbestastoundingandatworstterrifying.Thelistcancontainanythingfroma
reasonablybenignheadachetoacatastrophiceventsuchasstrokeorcancer.Inrealitythelistof
sideeffectsandadvicetoconsultyourphysicianissolelytoremainincompliancewithfederal
regulationandagaintolimittheexposureofthebigpharmacompaniesliabilitynotthrough
somealtruisticvisionofthecompanytoensurethesafetyoftheconsumer.

Itisbecomingcommonpracticeforrestaurantstoincludenutritionalvalueandcalorie
counttothefoodtheselltotheconsumer.Thisisassumedtoprovidetheconsumerwithabetter

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understandingtheproducttheyaregoingtopurchaseandsubsequentlyconsume.However,the
restaurantdoesntprovidefulldisclosure.Therearenosignsmenuthatstatetheproductsare
sourcedfromfarawaylands,thecheapestprovider,thestatusoftheproviderscurrenthealth
standardsorcontainhormonesandchemicalsthatmayimpactyourhealth.Ifthatwerethecase
thiscouldpotentiallyharmtherestaurantsbusiness.

Conclusion
Warninglabelsareignoredeverysingledaybytheaverageconsumer.Theonlyreason
theyexistiseitherbecausetheyaremandatorythroughsomeformofregulation,whetherthats
selfregulation,suchasPCIcompliance,orforcedregulationfromalegislativebody.These
warningsonlysucceedinprotectingthemanufacturerorproducerofaproductfromanyliability
whentheproductsaremisusedbytheconsumer.Thatsnottosaythefineprintshouldbe
ignoredbutthesimplefactisthattheyregularlyaretothedetrimentoftheconsumerandthe
benefitofthecompany.

Therearetwowaystoforceacompanytobeagoodcorporatecitizeninthisdayandage.
Oneistocontinueforcingcompaniesthroughregulationtoidentifyandcommunicatewarnings
totheconsumernotonlythroughwarninglabelsbutthroughtheuseofadditionalavenuessuch
associalmediacampaigns.Thesecondareconsumergroupsholdingcompaniesaccountable
theirproductsandadvertisements.

Resolution/Recommendations

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Ifwarninglabelsand/orthefineprintisignoredbyaconsiderablenumberofconsumers,

thentheonlyviableresolutionistoaddatangibleelementtoawarning.Theuseofsocialmedia,
advertisementsontelevision,andcampaignsinschoolstoeducatetheconsumer.

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References

Bates, C., & Rowell, A. (n.d.). Tobacco Explained. Retrieved November 16, 2016, from
http://www.who.int/tobacco/media/en/TobaccoExplained.pdf
Ciulla, J. B., Martin, C., & Solomon, R. C. (2011). Honest Work: A business ethics reader (3rd
ed.). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
General Statistics. (2016, November). Retrieved November 21, 2016, from
http://www.iihs.org/iihs/topics/t/general-statistics/fatalityfacts/overview-of-fatality-facts
History of warning labels in the US. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2016, from
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_warning_labels_in_the_US
McCarthy RL, Finnegan JP, Krumm Scott S, McCarthy GE: Product information presentation,
user behavior, and safety. Proceedings of the Human Factors Society, 28th annual
meeting, 1984, pp 81-85.
Mears, B. (2012, November 28). Tobacco companies ordered to publicly admit deception on
smoking dangers. Retrieved October 9, 2016, from
http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/27/health/tobacco-court-order/
Smoking & Tobacco Use. (2016, December 1). Retrieved December 3, 2016, from
https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/adult_data/cig_smoking/
What is the history of product warning labels? (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2016, from
https://www.reference.com/art-literature/history-product-warning-labels333c095028ed7749