Patent numbers appear on many physical products, but they are not just labels. According to IPWatchdog's Patently Strategic Podcast, these markings serve a statutory requirement to provide public notice about a product's patent protection. The episode frames marking as an important part of patent strategy rather than an afterthought.
Because the source is a single podcast summary, there are no competing views to compare. The episode's main point is straightforward: patent marking has a legal function, and companies that overlook it may be missing a strategic opportunity to put the public on notice about their rights.