There's no single "correct" label size — it depends entirely on what you're labeling, how close someone will be standing when they read it, and how much information actually needs to fit. A rough starting point for common product types:
| Product | Typical label size |
|---|---|
| Small jars (spice, honey, jam) | 4-5cm diameter or wrap |
| Bottles (sauce, oil, cosmetics) | 5-8cm tall wrap-around |
| Price tags | 2.5-4cm, small and legible at close range |
| Shipping cartons | 10x15cm or larger, readable from a distance |
| Name tags / ID badges | 7-9cm, sized for a lanyard or clip holder |
Match size to reading distance
A price tag gets read from a few centimeters away, so tiny text is fine. A shipping carton label gets glanced at from across a warehouse aisle, so it needs much larger text to do the same job. Design each at the distance it'll actually be read from.
Don't let content dictate size after the fact
Decide the physical size first, based on the product, then edit your content to fit — not the other way around. Trying to shrink an already-designed label to fit a smaller jar usually produces the cramped, unreadable result people complain about most.
Leave room for future changes
If you expect to add an ingredient, a certification mark, or a barcode later, size the label with a bit of margin now rather than redesigning from scratch when that day comes.