When adapting your label for the US market there is much to consider – from nutritional information and layout to allergens and ingredient descriptions. Here, our Regulatory Advisor Emma-Lee Johnston, explains the five things you need to adapt in order to comply.
Replicating your product’s success in another country is an exciting journey many food manufacturers will be tempted to make. However, labels which are accepted in your current market may not be compliant in a new one, which is why many brands need to make changes beforehand, taking advantage of additional food labelling assistance UK, to avoid any delays and potentially costly revisions further down the line.
Ashbury’s Top 5 Adaptation Tips:
Font Size: While there are many differences to consider, font size is perhaps one of the more obvious. In the UK, a minimum font size of 1.2mm based on lower case ‘x’ applies, although specific products do have different requirements. This differs in the US, which legally requires a minimum font size of 1.6mm based on the lower case ‘o’, unless exemptions are granted e.g., for very small packages.
Nutritional Information: The UK follows a specific nutrition table layout including order of nutrients and minimum font size. In the US, the nutrition facts panel has specific requirements with regards to required fonts, text sizes and bolding.
Allergens Labelling: There are 14 recognized allergens in the UK, compared to 8 in the US (increasing to 9 from January 2023, when sesame will be added). On UK food labels, allergens must be highlighted in the ingredients list, and a ‘contains’ statement is not allowed. In the US, allergens can be declared in parentheses following the name of the ingredient, for example, “whey (milk)”, or a contains statement may be used. There are other important considerations to make when it comes to allergen labelling, such as may contain statements – your chosen food labelling service provider will be able to support in understanding the best approach for your product.
Prescribed Names: Like many markets when side by side, the prescribed names used can vary. For example, where ‘Dietary Supplement’ may be accepted in the US, it will need to be adapted to ‘Food Supplement’ for the UK market.
Net Quantity Statement: In the UK, metric measurements are used but if desired, an imperial declaration may also be made (but this must be less prominent than the metric declaration). As we know, US labels can include customary (ounces, pounds, fluid ounces) and metric declarations. The metric declaration may precede or follow US customary declaration and specific minimum font size(s) also apply.
These are just five of many potential changes that will need to be made when exporting a US product to the UK, with each of these subject to even more examination and scrutiny. For any queries or support on how to bring your US label to the UK, do contact our specialist team at [email protected]
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