Labels carry not only the Nutrition Facts but also important company information to connect with consumers.
While consumer trends continue to drive the market, government regulations are simultaneously pushing labels into the forefront of packaging consideration. The new Nutrition Facts panel is due out in July 2018, and manufacturers have two-and-a-half years to comply with the latest requirements. Meanwhile, mandatory declaration of a food’s genetically modified organism (GMO) content is coming down the pike, with requirements that could be in place by mid-2019.
“The reality is that in the next year, we’ll see a labeling requirement coming out that will provide bakers and food manufacturers with a roadmap for defining and disclosing the GMO content of their products,” Mr. Armstrong said.
Ultimately, concurrent trending issues converge on the final package presented to the consumer. “The law gives food companies the option to convey GMO information on the package itself or by an electronic or digital link,” Mr. Armstrong added. “In that regard, GMA’s SmartLabel is something that will be important, providing a pathway for true transparency.”
Mr. Lowe, too, pointed to the usefulness of SmartLabel to provide GMO information. He said SmartLabel will be a way that companies provide information about GMOs when the rules are written to implement the federal law that passed last year. The SmartLabel landing pages must contain the government-required information that is on a package label, but SmartLabel enables the company to voluntarily provide much more as well.
While some may see GMO disclosure as a challenge that incurs extra expense, it can also be an opportunity. “The entire food industry has to come to an understanding that this is an area where it is important to communicate with the consumer to help them recognize that GMOs are safe,” Mr. Armstrong said. “FDA has repeatedly said that GMO ingredients are safe, and the SmartLabel website, or other kind of site, is effective and an important place to educate consumers about subjects like GMOs. You must devote space to helping them understand and overcome their anxiety.”
In today’s world of creative packaging, interactive labels can be used in a fun, promotional way, not to mention educational. However these tools are used, consumers are eating up the information.
