Until recently, on-demand labels were primarily created by printing on flat sheets.  This required that for a single label an entire sheet must be used, the balance of the sheet often wasted.

However, the need for mobility and flexibility in a number of industries required the development of roll stock on which could be printed the necessary information with variable lengths. Therefore, label producers began to put adhesive on the back of thermal paper rolls. 

This new format, however, required the use of a silicone coated liner to prevent the adhesive from adhering both to the paper below and whatever parts of the printer it touched. This liner has ended up creating its own problems, not to mention the fact that, while the label did adhere properly where it was placed, it became problematic to remove when desired.>When the label was removed, at worst it potentially damaged the surface to which it was stuck and at best left a difficult to remove residue of adhesive and/or paper or coating.

To this day this is the primary type of on-demand label used throughout the world.  Since the base stock for on-demand roll labels is some form of thermal paper, it has all the advantages and disadvantages of thermal plus the following:

Advantages

• Will adhere to almost any surface

• Remains in place and cannot be removed without evidence of removal

• Can be used in both stationary and mobile printers