The vast majority of labels require an adhesive to bond the label to the container, or to some other surface. Being between the label material and the container or product surface, the adhesive must be compatible with both. If all the variations of label substrate (paper, paper-backed foil, metallized materials, plastics, synthetic papers, fabrics, metal foils, etc) and container/surface (metal cans, glass bottles, plastic bottles, wrapping films, corrugated cases, etc) are then incorporated in to the adhesive requirements, the challenges for  adhesive manufacturers are quite formidable.
To meet the demands of different label types, different surfaces to be bonded and different user performance characteristics, such as surface of environment conditions, the label industry uses primarily three main types of adhesive; Hot-melt, water-based, solvent based. These are explained below.

Hot-melt adhesives (rubber base) are thermoplastic materials with 100% solid that  are heated to temperatures above their melting point and applied to substrates in the molten state. Unlike water based or solvent based adhesives, hot-melt adhesives do not require drying; they set as quickly as they can  cool down to their solidification point. They are popular because of their high setting speed and because they form a virtually invisible line on glass, metal, PET and other plastic containers. In the self-adhesive sector, hot melt adhesives can have very high tack, which makes them ideal for some very difficult applications  and moist chilled environments where emulsion adhesives have difficulties. Hot melt formulations can be obtained in permanent, peel able, chill-permanent, high tack, permanent and deep freeze laminates.

Water-based adhesives (emulsion – rubber or acrylic) have had a dominant place in the label industry for many years and are used in wet-glue, self adhesive and gummed paper formulations. They are made up of materials or compounds that can be dissolved or dispersed in water to become tacky, then form a bond and dry by losing water through evaporation or by penetration into the label substrate. At least one surface must be absorbed or porous to form a strong bond. Water-based adhesives are available in a variety of chemistries and compositions and are categorized as either natural or synthetic polymers.

Solvent based adhesive (rubber or acrylic) are noted for their fast bond strength, good heat resistance, and versatile adhesion to a wide range of substrates and tolerance to a wide variety of production condition – including low temperature or high humidity. However, solvent based pressure sensitive formulations have been widely displaced by water- based and hot melt systems for economic as well as ecological reasons.