LEGAL & REGULATORY

Regulatory

Regulatory

Championing Smart Regulation

The makers of America’s food, beverage, personal care and household brands are committed to protecting consumers and upholding the highest standards of safety is the top priority of the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry. By working closely with state and federal regulators, CPG companies ensure that every product on store shelves reflects a rigorous, science-based process designed to ensure safety and trust while also fostering innovation, strengthening transparency and empowering consumers with the information they need to make confident choices.

Front-of-Package Nutrition Labeling

The food and beverage industry has worked in partnership with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for nearly 15 years to improve the accessibility of critical nutrition facts, promote nutrition literacy and help consumers achieve their unique dietary goals. Born out of this collaboration is Facts up Front^™ (FUF).

Facts up Front^™ is a voluntary industry-led consumer transparency initiative that delivers at-a-glance product nutrition information so consumers can quickly make informed choices. Pulled straight from the Nutrition Facts label, FUF labels display nutrients to encourage like potassium and fiber, as well as nutrients to limit, such as the number of calories and amount of saturated fat, sodium and added sugars, right on the front of the product in a clear, consistent format.

Research conducted on front of package nutrition labeling found that:

American adults find the Facts up Front^™ (FUF) label helpful, trustworthy, and easy to use, particularly valuing its focus on calories, sugars, and sodium, and are more likely to identify and select healthier options when specific nutrients of concern are clearly called out.
Labels that highlight key nutrients are more effective at guiding healthier choices than generalized “healthy” symbols, reinforcing the FUF format as a more actionable and informative tool for nutrition decision-making.
While FOP labels, including FUF, improve awareness and product selection, their impact on overall population health or obesity rates is limited, as studies show that while healthier products may be chosen more often, purchases of less healthy items remain largely unchanged.

Healthy Rule

No one is closer to the consumer than the makers of America’s food, beverage, personal care and household brands, constantly innovating to meet consumer demand. While the CPG industry recognizes the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) as the federal government’s primary source of dietary advice, it works closely with the FDA to follow labeling rules and communicate ingredients to consumers so that they can choose the products that meet their unique dietary goals.

The FDA has finalized an updated definition of the term “healthy” for use on food labels. Some foods currently considered nutrient dense and encouraged as part of healthy dietary patterns by the DGAs, such as certain cereals and yogurts, may not meet the criteria to bear the “healthy” claim.

This misalignment between labeling standards and the current dietary guidelines risks creating consumer confusion. A coordinated, strategic approach to aligning nutrition policies is essential to empower consumers with clear, consistent information while supporting continued industry innovation.

Recalls & Traceability

Food safety remains a top priority for the CPG industry. To protect consumers and prevent foodborne illness, the industry is actively advancing modernized, coordinated recall processes. This includes advocating for federal government recall policies and classifications, improving communication strategies and ensuring consumers are alerted quickly and effectively when a product is recalled.

Traceability also plays a critical role in these efforts. By leveraging secure
data-sharing technologies, the industry is enhancing its ability to track products through the supply chain—from production to point-of-sale, allowing for faster, more targeted recalls and minimizing risk to consumers.

Industry-backed initiatives like SmartLabel® can also give consumers direct access to detailed product information, including recall status in some instances, simply by scanning a QR code, further improving transparency and empowering consumers to make informed decisions in real time.

Date Labeling

Historically, there were more than 10 different and confusing label options, such as “sell by,” “enjoy by,” “fresh until,” “display until,” and “best before,” making it difficult for consumers to make informed choices. The CPG industry recognized the problem and its role in the solution, laying the groundwork to revolutionize the way products are labeled. Through industry-led efforts to streamline and standardize the wording on date labels, there is now greater clarity around product quality and safety, helping to reduce consumer confusion and empower consumers to make the best choices for themselves and their families.

Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Implementation

The continued implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is a significant step forward in strengthening America’s food safety system. As one of the most comprehensive food safety reforms in decades, FSMA has shifted the focus from reacting to foodborne illness outbreaks to preventing them. From the beginning, the CPG industry has championed FSMA’s prevention-based approach, recognizing its critical role in protecting public health.

The industry has worked in close collaboration with the FDA and other stakeholders to ensure FSMA’s successful rollout—advocating for practical, science-based standards and providing input to help shape effective, transparent regulatory frameworks, while continuing to invest in the tools, technologies and best practices needed to meet FSMA’s requirements and strengthen supply chain accountability.

As FSMA implementation continues to evolve, the CPG industry remains committed to supporting a modern, risk-based regulatory system that builds consumer trust and ensures a safer, more resilient food supply.

Chemical Regulations

The consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry prioritizes product safety and consumer well-being, adhering to federal regulations set by agencies like the FDA, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Consumer Product Safety Commission. Committed to reducing chemicals of concern, CPG companies invest in packaging innovation, rigorous testing and voluntary safety programs to ensure products are safe, sustainable and high-quality. This includes a wide range of categories such as food, beverages, household cleaners and personal care items. The industry supports national, science-based standards and the regulatory authority of long-standing federal agencies, while cautioning that inconsistent state and local mandates create consumer confusion and threaten access to clear, reliable product information.