China to play a major role in new Avery Dennison name and numbers deal with the Premier League

LONDON,Nov. 16,2018 --

The Premier League has signed a new official supplier for names,numbers and sleeve badges.

From next season,all official Premier League names,numbers and sleeve patches will be printed and produced by global sportswear branding and labeling manufacturer Avery Dennison,which has five production sites in China,employing almost 10,000 people.

The agreement will see Avery Dennison,which also employs 650 people at its offices in Hong Kong,use state-of-the-art developments in printing and robotics technology to increase efficiency and sustainability through reduced waste,using water-based inks and creating a "closed loop" configuration wherebyplastics used in application of the product are collected and re-enter the supply chain.

Avery Dennison's production sites in China will also play a lead role in the delivery of the Premier League partnership. The company's China operations are highly sustainable,achieving a 10% reduction in Greenhouse Gas compared to 2017,far exceeding its corporate target of 3%,through energy efficiency improvements and investment in renewable energy certificates,while it is also ahead of corporate targets for landfill and recycling waste.

Over 15 million Premier League names,numbers and sleeve badges will be produced each year,at a specialist low-carbon facility in western Norway. This factory uses laser cuts to reduce waste,before the products are packed by unique automated systems and shipped to club shops and other retailers.

The products will be embedded with smart digital technology,enabling fans to scan the number on their jerseys with their mobile phones to receive a bespoke Premier League experience.

RishiPardal,Vice President and General Manager of Apparel Solutions at Avery Dennison,explained: "Partnering with the Premier League naturally extends our position as a leading supplier of branded and decorative embellishments for retail brands,leagues and clubs in theTeam Sport market."

"The Premier League has a strong and ever-growing global presence and we are excited to have the opportunity to support their global growth."

Richard Masters,Premier League Managing Director,said: "Avery Dennison is clearly a companywith a track record in innovation. We were impressed with their plans both in the UK and globally and are looking forward to working with them from next season."

Avery Dennison recently announced a global supplier deal with FC Barcelona and already supplies several top clubs in La Liga and 90% of Premier League clubs. Additionally,80% of the teams at the recent world championship in Russia this summer featured the company's products. Avery Dennison's products include player names,numbers,crests,wovenlabels,brand protection andspecialitytrims,establishing it as a leading provider across professional sports leagues,teams,clubs and federations.

MichaelColarossi,Vice President of Innovation,Product Line Management and Sustainability at Avery Dennison,said: "Sustainability is part of our DNA at Avery Dennison. Ourcentreof excellence in Norway is 100% landfill-free and powered almost entirely by hydro-electric power,while out in China operations continue to be class-leading in terms of energy and waste efficiency."

"Our heat transfer label technology has led the industry for some time. The Premier League partnership provides an opportunity to bring the latest manufacturing and product technology to an incredibly well-known league,and ensure fansget the best possible experience."

Nikita Jayasuriya,Global Director and Head of Team Sport at Avery Dennison,said: "The Premier League shares our commitment to sustainability and we are working together to combat single use plastics throughout the supply chain."

"The Premier League is one of the biggest sporting competitions on the planet. It will be incredibly exciting and humbling to see our products displayed on the back of Premier League stars' shirts on the field every week."

Avery Dennison has introduced its unique RFID technology to help track products from the point of manufacture to retail outlets,assisting retailers and clubs in managing their stock levels with enhanced speed and efficiency,preventing out of stock situations to help increasesales.

The official Premier League products will be ordered throughsport.averydennison.comby distributors and retailers,who will sell in stores worldwide for fans to purchase.

About the Premier League

The Premier League produces some of the most competitive and compelling football in the world. The League and its clubs use the power and popularity of the competition to inspire fans,communities,and partners in the UK and across the world. The Premier League brings people together from all backgrounds. It is a competition for everyone,everywhere and is available to watch in 1 billion homes in 189 countries.

About Avery Dennison

Avery Dennison Retail Branding and Information Solutions (RBIS),a global leader in providing end-to-end solutions in the apparel and footwear industry,is a $1.5 billion division of Avery Dennison Corporation (NYSE: AVY). RBIS provides intelligent,creative andsustainable solutionsthat elevate brands and accelerate performance throughout the global supply chain. RBIS helps elevate brands through graphic tickets,tags and labels,embellishments,packaging solutions and woven components that enhance consumer and product appeal. It accelerates performance throughradio frequency identification (RFID)-enabled inventory,loss prevention solutions,consumer engagement,price management,printer and labeler products,global compliance,intelligent labels and brand security solutions. RBIS serves the global marketplace with operations in 50 countries,across six continents. For more information,visitwww.averydennison.com/RBIS.