Printing apparatus and printing method

A printing method for performing printing by a printing apparatus including:

• a transport roller configured to apply a transport force to a label sheet having a backing sheet, to which a label is attached, in a transport path of the label sheet;
• a printing head configured to perform printing on the label sheet transported to a printing position in the transport path;
• a detaching unit arranged downstream of the printing position in the transport path and configured to detach the label from the backing sheet;
• and a detaching roller configured to apply to the backing sheet a tension for detaching the label from the backing sheet at the detaching unit, and apply a transport force to the backing sheet from which the label was detached,
• the printing method comprising:
• a printing step for performing printing on the label sheet;
• a detaching step for detaching the label from the backing sheet on which printing is completed;
• and
• a back-feeding step for controlling, while back-feeding the label sheet to upstream in the transport path, driving of the transport roller and the detaching roller such that a front tension, which is a tension applied to the label sheet at the position of the transport roller, is smaller than a front tension when the label sheet is front-fed to downstream.