The Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (FPLA) requires consumer goods to be labeled with standardized units of measurement in both metric and non-metric units. The law aims to ensure transparency on consumer safety and fairness issues. The label must state the product, manufacturer’s name and address, and net content. The FPLA was created to reduce consumer fraud through misleading packaging. Some products are exempt, such as hazardous materials, toys, and alcohol. In 1992, Congress passed an amendment to require dual labeling, but some organizations now push for metric-only labeling.
The Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (FPLA) is a United States law that outlines the required labeling of consumer goods. Implemented in 1966, the law was amended to include standardized units of measurement that must be reported in both metric and non-metric units. The Fair Packaging and Labeling Act was created to help ensure transparency on consumer safety and fairness issues, such as the actual contents of a package or the name of the manufacturer.
There are three main provisions of the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act, all geared towards enabling customers to be aware of the actual contents of a consumer product. First, the label must carry a statement as to what the product is, such as ‘aluminum foil’ or ‘green tea bags’. Second, the name and address or location of the manufacturers, including the original manufacturer, packing plant or distributor, must be visible. Third, the net content of the package must be included, given by weight, volume, measurements or number of items.
In 1992, Congress passed an amendment to the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act that required all net quantities to be supplied in non-metric inch/pound measurements and in accordance with the metric system. This system, known as dual labeling, was meant to reflect the push towards the metric system preferred by many measurement standards and experts. In 2010, several organizations, including the government-run National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), began pushing for metric-only labeling of some products, despite the FPLA’s dual labeling requirement.
The primary reason for creating the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act was to reduce consumer fraud through misleading packaging. Some companies would charge higher prices for larger packages without actually increasing the net components contained. A cereal company, for example, might introduce a box of cereal twice the size of the original at double the price, but including only 50% more cereal. By requiring that the net content be measured and posted on the packaging, consumers could know exactly what they were buying.
There are many types of products that are exempt from the FPLA’s standards. Generally, to fall within the protection of the law, the product must be for domestic use and consumed with use. For example, a roll of paper towels is usually made for household use and is used up every time a piece is torn off. Windshield wiper fluid, although consumed during use, is not intended for domestic use and is therefore exempt. Other exemptions include toys, school supplies, gift wrap, alcohol and pet supplies. Hazardous materials, such as pesticides, fall under the jurisdiction of the Environmental Protection Agency and are not covered by the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act.
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