In May, the Food and Drug Administration announced changes to the nutrition facts label for food products sold in the US. The FDA is giving food manufacturers until July 26, 2018, to adopt the new panel on their packaging. Smaller manufacturers will have an extra year to comply, as the process may be more time-consuming for small operations. These changes can provide new marketing opportunities for food manufacturers.

Changes to the Nutrition Facts Label

The Wall Street Journal has reported that this is “the most radical overhaul of nutrition policy in decades,” going on to state that this is an attempt to change the way Americans eat and drink. It’s the hope of the FDA that these new labels will better educate consumers on what they’re eating, so they can make healthier dietary choices.

The changes to the nutrition panel include:

• Serving sizes are displayed in a bold font.
• Serving sizes are update to reflect new standards.
• Total calories are present in a larger font, so the number stands out more.
• The daily values have been update.
• “Added sugars” has been include as a figure under “Total sugars.”
• The nutrients section has been change.
• Actual amounts of nutrients are declared.
• A new footnote has been add.

This new food labeling requirement provides opportunities for brands to stand out and find new opportunities.

Know What Consumers Should Expect from You

Where does your brand fit into the overall market? Is it know as an indulgent product for occasional consumption, or is a more nourishing product for everyday use? You can use this updated nutrition facts label to highlight what consumer should be expecting from your brand. Serving sizes are changing. Does this affect how your products will be view by consumers?

Look for New Marketing Opportunities

Does this new nutrition label set your product apart from competitors? Consider the message included in your labels and packaging. Is this consistent across all channels? How involve is the consumer in reading your packaging? Knowing your brand’s position compared to the competition can help you develop innovative new ways to set it apart. Use these new regulations to help express what you want to say about your brand, whether it’s a healthy option or a tasty one.

A high-performance food labeling printer like the Afinia L801 Memjet Color Label Printer can identify the brand and values of a food manufacturer by reflecting brand identity through the new nutrition facts label. Contact Argon Technology today to learn more about how taking control of your label strategy can provide new opportunities for engaging consumers.