Information Required on a Food Label: What You Must Know Before You Print
Nice work! You’ve designed your labels and you’re happy with how they look. The colors have turned out spectacular and you’ve even added your own brand’s flair. You’ve opted to use the ever popular varnish coatings to your label to make your name stand out on the shelf.
Now, you have one more important step – the extra information required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for your label.
Every food and beverage manufacturer faces regulations for their food labels. The information required on a food label is fairly straightforward. You might already have it there but you need to be sure it’s properly positioned.
Here are a few guidelines to follow when putting the finishing touches on your food label design.
First, Some Terminology: The PDP (or the Alternate PDP)
The PDP is the Principal Display Panel. This is the part of your label that your customer is most likely to see.
Sometimes, there are more than one part of your food label that the customer is likely to see. The extra areas where your customer might look first are known as the alternate PDPs.
PDPs are important to know because there are specific requirements that you must have on this part of your label. These include the statement of identity, the net quantity statement, and your name and address.
Statement of Identity (or the Name of the Food)
The statement of identity is simply the name of the food. This must appear on the front of your product so people know what it is they’re buying. Chances are, you already have this on your label’s design. It’s a primary part of any type of label because it tells the customer what they’re looking at when they pick up your product.
Net Quantity Statement (or Amount of Product)
The net quantity statement is simply the amount of product a consumer gets when she buys from you. This must also appear on the front of the label but it does not need to be as prominently displayed. Most food and beverage manufacturers put the net quantity statement on the lower part of the product.
Informational Panel
The informational panel includes areas of your label. This includes:
- The nutrition facts
- Name and address of the packer, manufacturer and/or distributor including street address, city or town, state, country (if outside the USA) and zip code.
- Ingredient list
- Allergy labeling.
Each of these are vital for the consumer to read. For that reason, the FDA usually requires that these informational items are placed closely together, usually on a side panel. You should never have extra material or design that could get in the way of a consumer reading the informational part of your label.
Informational labels must have reasonable print size and be placed in a conspicuous area. In general, your type should be at least 1/16” high for the lower case letter “o.” The letters cannot be three times as high as they are wide either. These are fairly obvious rules but they’re important to follow.
Question: Have you struggled to fit the required information onto your food or beverage label?
Requirements can be a nuisance, but when it comes to food and beverage, the FDA has your consumer’s best interest in mind – and yours. By prominently displaying your name on the PDP, you’re more likely to capture the attention of passing shoppers. By adding in the quantity, you make it easier for shoppers to know how much they’re getting from you. The information you must include shows your buyers that your product is of sound quality.