Abstract: An aqueous adhesive composition is provided which comprises a major amount by weight of an aqueous acrylate emulsion having a viscosity of about 500 centipoise (cps) to about 10,000 cps at a temperature ranging from about 15° C. to about 45° C. and a minor amount by weight of a thickener for the adhesive composition which is an aqueous acrylic emulsion containing carboxylate groups and having a viscosity of at least 100,000 cps at a temperature ranging from about 25° C. to about 45° C. composition. The adhesive is particularly useful in the labelling of water-permeable hydrophilic substrates such as paper labels to non-treated plastic surfaces particularly plastics such as polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyvinyl chloride, and polyethylene terephthalate.