FDA Issues Uniform Compliance Date for Final Food Labeling Regulations in 2023-24

• FDA announced in the Federal Register on December 30, 2022 that January 1, 2026 will be the uniform compliance date for final food labeling regulations that are issued in calendar years 2023 and 2024.  This action is not intended to change existing requirements for compliance dates contained in final rules published before January 1, 2023.

• In line with its historical practice, FDA periodically announces uniform compliance dates for new food labeling requirements to minimize the economic impact of labeling changes on the food industry of having to respond separately to each labeling change.

•  FDA encourages industry to comply with new labeling regulations as quickly as feasible.  However, all food products subject to the January 1, 2026, uniform compliance date must comply with the appropriate labeling regulations when initially introduced into interstate commerce on or after January 1, 2026.  For some food labeling regulations, the FDA will set a compliance date that differs from the uniform compliance date if special circumstances justify doing so. The specific compliance date is published when a final regulation is issued.

• The final rule became effective this Tuesday, January 3, 2023.  FDA is accepting electronic and written comments until March 6, 2023 here.  For general food labeling and nutrition guidance documents and related regulatory information, please visit FDA’s website here.

Nicholas Prust, Frederick Stearns, Emily Thomas, and Lauren Haas also contributed to this article.