NCA’s Coffee Labeling Guide highlights the important regulatory elements for food labels and provides package labeling guidance to companies selling coffee products in the U.S. marketplace.
FDA Coffee Label Requirements
Retail coffee labeling can be complex. The FDA requires five basic pieces of information on a food label: product identity, net contents, nutrition facts, ingredient declaration that includes allergen information, and contact information. However, some “mandatory” elements may be exempt from coffee labels under certain circumstances.
The Importance of Proper Coffee Labeling
Of course, you want to ensure that your coffee labels comply with FDA regulations, but proper labeling also serves your customers who want to know more about their coffee and are looking for information on ingredients, sustainability, origin, certifications, and more.
Failure to label your coffee properly can lead to recalls that can impact your bottom line, hurt your brand, and even pose a threat to your customers. Ensuring that all statements on your product labels are accurate and compliant with regulations is key to avoiding costly lawsuits.
Coffee Packaging Guidance
NCA’s Coffee Labeling Guide provides general guidance on food product labeling for coffee and shows you what information a typical retail coffee package should include. It features:
- A mockup coffee package (available to download as a PDF) with various required, conditional, and optional labels
- A short description of each label segment
- A glossary of terms and summarized guidance
- Links to additional resources about FDA requirements and regulations
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Product Labeling Class Action Lawsuits
Food and beverage products, including coffee, continue to be popular targets for class action lawsuits that allege false labeling or advertising. These cases typically point to whether the challenged statements would mislead a “reasonable consumer.” In addition to ensuring that labels comply with applicable regulations, mitigating the risk of being hit with one of these lawsuits involves reviewing the materials for statements that have been or could be challenged as misleading to reasonable consumers.
Coffee products are seeing a high level of class action activity in the areas of sustainability and ESG claims, statements about serving size or the number of servings per container, and product source. Learn more about managing the risk of product labeling class actions at the link below.
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Disclaimer: The content of this guide is intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as providing legal advice. The NCA makes no warranty of legal applicability or compliance. You should not act upon any such information without first seeking qualified professional counsel on your specific matter.