Changes ahead in US labeling guidelines

From 2024 onwards, pet owners in the United States will begin to see new-style labels on the packaging of pet food and specialty pet food products, including treats and nutritional supplements. The first major update in more than 40 years is aimed at ensuring clarity and consistency in label design to make consumers’ buying decisions easier.

Setting new standards

The revised guidelines, Model Regulations for Pet Food and Specialty Pet Food, set new standards for all manufacturers and distributors of pet food products distributed in the US. The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) and industry stakeholders have worked collaboratively since 2015 to develop these guidelines through a methodical process. This supports AAFCO’s aim of supporting growth and innovation in the pet food industry, while also helping consumers to make more-informed buying decisions.

So, what will be the impact of this important update, and what do pet food manufacturers need to know about the new labeling guidelines?

AAFCO will publish its 2024 Official Publication that will include the revised guidelines and details of what manufacturers can expect. In the meantime, here is a sneak peek.

New labeling guidelines

To make their pet food labels clearer and easier to understand in line with the new guidelines, manufacturers will be required to update the following 4 key areas:

Nutrition Facts Box

This must be reformatted to look more like the nutrition facts box found on human food packaging. Familiar household measuring units should be used, e.g. can, cup or treat, along with the weight in grams. The nutritional adequacy statement must be placed at the bottom of all nutrition facts boxes for pet food and specialty pet food.

Product Purpose Statement

This must be displayed on the front of all packaging to identify the species, use and animal life stage that the product is intended for.

Ingredient Statement

This should be modernized to include language, styling or naming conventions more commonly understood by consumers, such as the use of parentheticals and common or usual names for vitamins.

Handling and Storage Instructions (optional)

New icons may be included on pet food and specialty pet food packaging to provide consumers with visual cues about how that particular product should be handled and stored.

6-year discretionary period

AAFCO is urging state regulators to utilize enforcement discretion in their review of pet food and specialty pet food labels. The 6-year discretionary period, beginning in December 2024, provides plenty of time to make changes and updates to support a seamless transition for the industry.

Nevertheless, as states begin the rulemaking process of adopting and enforcing the Model Regulations for Pet Food and Specialty Pet Food, AAFCO strongly encourages manufacturers to adopt these guidelines without delay to ensure alignment and consistency.

Implementation recommendations

Planning and timing are crucial for successful and unified implementation among manufacturers. AAFCO will continue to work with the pet food industry to foster a smooth transition, and recommends a number of immediate next steps for manufacturers. These include ensuring access to appropriate lab technicians and methods such as analysis and validation, engaging in collaboration, education and training, and managing dual labels during the discretionary period. Manufacturers should also become familiar with state-specific processes and obtain the support of key stakeholders. Last but not least, manufacturers need to adjust their packaging design and associated marketing communication materials.

State-by-state industry support

AAFCO is committed to working with US state officials as well as manufacturers to ensure the adoption process runs as uniformly as possible. Each state will determine its own approach to enforcement, with the formal rulemaking process starting in 2024.

In the case of pet food sold in the United States, manufacturers should reach out to the relevant state’s feed administrators, since the requirements and regulations of this change are still up to each state. In the case of pet food sold internationally, manufacturers should follow the regulations of the relevant countries.