Saving Space on US-Bound Labels

How can you include all the information that you need, and want, on labels with limited room? Our expert US team shares their top tips for saving label space.

With limited space available on product labels, mandatory and ‘desired’ information (such as communication and branding) continue to battle it out for maximum exposure. Our expert regulatory team shares their top tips for compliantly saving space on labels destined for the US.   

What Types of Space-Saving Tactics Are or Are Not Allowed? 

• Over Stickers 

Over stickers are permitted, only if all of the content that is visible at the point of sale is compliant with US FDA ingredients labeling requirements.

• Peel & Reveal 

In the US, ‘Peel & Reveal’ is not permitted for the required elements of US food labels such as the Principle Display Panel (such as the product name and net weight) or Information Panel (such as the Nutrition Facts Panel, ingredient statements, allergens and country of origin).

Mandatory information must be available to read at point of sale without manipulating the label. 

But that’s not to say that they can’t be used at all – in fact, some non-mandatory information like recipes and marketing text can utilize the peel & reveal format and provide businesses with additional space to promote their brand or messaging. 

• Multinational Labels 

It’s not permitted to have another country’s label information on a US panel, according to FDA labeling requirements. The only option to incorporate information from another country would be to utilize dual language labeling. If you do this, note that all content must be presented in US formats (i.e. ingredient statement, allergens, nutrition facts panels). 

Nutrition Facts Panel  

Depending on the size of your label, you can also use the different formats available for the Nutrition Facts Panel, such as: 

• Food packages with a surface area <40 sq.in or less for labeling may place the NFP on any label panel (not limited to the information panel); may omit the footnote required if an asterisk is placed at the bottom of the label with the statement “Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet”; or also use the tabular display label format
• Linear (string) format may be used on food packages with <40 sq.in if the package shape or size cannot accommodate the nutrition information placed in columns on any label panel 
• The size of other required elements like the Net Quantity statement can be scaled back too, based on the size of your label
• Small packages <12 sq.in of total surface area available to bear labeling may be printed with a telephone number or an address to obtain nutrition information. This exemption (using a telephone number or address in place of the Nutrition Facts label) is permitted only if there are no nutrient content claims, or other nutrition information on the product label or in labeling and advertising 
• Food packages with <40 sq.in available for labeling may be able to use abbreviations as found below: