# Small image on the back labels of bottles. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 7, 2006, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-image-on-the-back-labels-of-bottles/338821 "2006-01-07T00:20:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AzureM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@AzureM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AzureM)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-image-on-the-back-labels-of-bottles/338821/1 "2006-01-07T00:20:04Z")
A friend asked me a question today that I didn’t know the answer to, so I turn to you. Many bottles containing products such as shampoo, lotion, face wash, nail polish, etc., have a small picture on the back that looks like a canister with the lid off. Inside this picture I’ve seen inscribed ‘12M’ or ‘36M.’ There may be others as well, I don’t know. It almost looks like it has something to do with the recycling of the bottles. These only seem to be on bottles that come from the UK or Canada. Perhaps my googling is poor, but I can’t seem to find anything relevant. What’s the straight dope? ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-image-on-the-back-labels-of-bottles/338821/2 "2006-01-07T05:05:53Z")
The closest thing I can think of is the three arrows with a number in the middle, like the ones at the bottom of this page: [http://www.earthodyssey.com/symbols.html](http://www.earthodyssey.com/symbols.html) Do you think that’s even perhaps on the right track? ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-image-on-the-back-labels-of-bottles/338821/3 "2006-01-07T05:09:42Z")
Sorry, not the bottom, but toward the bottom. ---
**Author:** ![AzureM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@AzureM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AzureM)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-image-on-the-back-labels-of-bottles/338821/4 "2006-01-07T05:32:00Z")
Well I don’t see it on that page, but the ‘Green Dot’ (bottom of page) is also on some of these bottles, right near the symbol in question. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-image-on-the-back-labels-of-bottles/338821/5 "2006-01-07T05:47:47Z")
The triangular arrows with a number indicate the type of plastic used in the container (1=polyethylene terephthalate or PETE, 2=High density polyethylene or HDPE, etc.) Can you get a digital photo of the mark and link it on a hosting site? ---
**Author:** ![ticker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@ticker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ticker)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-image-on-the-back-labels-of-bottles/338821/6 "2006-01-07T12:37:54Z")
[Here](http://www.zen12342.zen.co.uk/images/misc/symbol.jpg) is a slightly fuzzy image from a mouthwash bottle. ---
**Author:** ![ticker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@ticker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ticker)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-image-on-the-back-labels-of-bottles/338821/7 "2006-01-07T13:00:27Z")
I found the answer: [Linky](http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:_pTC5UhIDsYJ:www.colipa.com/site/download.cfm%3FSAVE%3D17853+12m+symbol&hl=en) > [@](#): > > The aim of the PAO labelling is to enhance consumer information. The PAO will be indicated by a > new symbol on the primary and secondary packaging, illustrating an open cream jar that is easy to > understand. This will indicate to the consumer the time after opening (in months – “M”) during > which the product should be used. The lifespan is designated in months (M) and appears as fol- > lows: for example: [12M] or [24M] either inside or outside the symbol of the open cosmetic cream jar. ---
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-image-on-the-back-labels-of-bottles/338821/8 "2006-01-07T14:35:50Z")
Sure, it seems “easy to understand” now that **ticker** has explained it to us. I’ll bet I’d have stared at that symbol for months and not figured it out, yet it seems so reasonable now that I know what it means. ---
**Author:** ![pretend\_my\_name\_is\_witty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9e5f3/32.png) [@pretend\_my\_name\_is\_witty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pretend_my_name_is_witty)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-image-on-the-back-labels-of-bottles/338821/9 "2006-01-07T14:57:54Z")
> [@ticker](#): > > I found the answer: [Linky](http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:_pTC5UhIDsYJ:www.colipa.com/site/download.cfm%3FSAVE%3D17853+12m+symbol&hl=en) Damnit **ticker** , that puzzle used to mystify me as a kid, and recently I saw a bottle that said “This product can be used for 12 months after opening” next to one of the symbols. My life changed that day, and the symbol confused me no more. I wanted to swoop in here and reveal my amazing discovery, and solve this mystery. But now I can’t, curse these slow fingers! ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-image-on-the-back-labels-of-bottles/338821/10 "2006-01-07T15:08:55Z")
> [@Pretend My Name Is Witty](#): > > “This product can be used for 12 months after opening” next to one of the symbols. Right! Now throw it out in the trash before it explodes, poisons you or results in some other dire catastrophy. :rolleyes: Out of date pharmaceuticals are shipped in large quantities to assist various health groups in 2nd/3rd world countries. They still seem to do a good job to improve the health of the local inhabitants! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AzureM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@AzureM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AzureM)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-image-on-the-back-labels-of-bottles/338821/11 "2006-01-07T16:59:27Z")
Thanks everybody! The “simple to understand” packaging is no longer a mystery. 😉 BTW - I feel your pain Witty! ---
**Author:** ![pretend\_my\_name\_is\_witty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9e5f3/32.png) [@pretend\_my\_name\_is\_witty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pretend_my_name_is_witty)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-image-on-the-back-labels-of-bottles/338821/12 "2006-01-07T17:01:23Z")
> [@AzureM](#): > > Thanks everybody! The “simple to understand” packaging is no longer a mystery. 😉 > > BTW - I feel your pain Witty! Thank you! There’s been about two questions that I could have answered on dope so far, were I only a little speedier replying! Not sure what **spingears** means, am I being wooshed? ---
**Author:** ![TJdude825](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-image-on-the-back-labels-of-bottles/338821/13 "2006-01-07T18:21:58Z")
I think **spingears** was just saying that the expiration dates seem to be set much earlier than is actually necessary, probably just a CYA thing by the companies. So if it says 12 months, but you’ve had it for 15 or 20, it’s likely to still be okay. Of course, if it’s NOT okay, well, they warned you. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2006, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/small-image-on-the-back-labels-of-bottles/338821/14 "2006-01-08T00:07:11Z")
I wondered about that possibility, with the OP listing multiples of 12, but thought, ‘Nah-it couldn’t be _that_ friggin’ simple’. 😛