Tag: Labeling laws

Over one in five college students reported mixing energy drinks with alcohol in the past year, highlighting a common misconception that their regulatory frameworks are similar. In fact, energy drinks are not regulated like alcohol, falling under very different and often less stringent legal standards, which impacts labeling, sales, and health warnings.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States, along with international bodies like the Codex Alimentarius Commission, mandates that a packaged food's ingredients be listed in descending order by weight. This critical rule answers the question: are food labels listed by weight? It provides consumers with an accurate look at the product's composition, ensuring the most abundant ingredient is listed first.

According to the Environmental Working Group, the term "natural flavor" can hide a mixture of up to 100 chemicals. This lack of transparency leads many consumers to question whether companies are legally obligated to disclose the specific components that make up these proprietary flavor blends.

According to the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, beverages labeled "non-alcoholic" can legally contain up to 0.5% alcohol by volume (ABV), which is a key distinction many consumers overlook. This means that while non-alcoholic drinks are extremely low in alcohol content, they are not always completely alcohol-free.

According to regulatory standards in many countries, non-alcoholic drinks can legally contain up to 0.5% alcohol by volume (ABV), a fact that surprises many consumers. This means that while these popular alternatives offer the taste without the buzz, they might not be completely devoid of alcohol.

According to U.S. federal regulations, beverages labeled 'non-alcoholic' can legally contain up to 0.5% alcohol by volume, meaning not all zero proof spirits are actually alcohol-free. For consumers committed to complete abstinence, this distinction is absolutely critical to understand before making a purchase.

According to the FDA, manufacturers are not required to list caffeine amounts on the standard Nutrition Facts panel for most products. This makes it challenging for consumers to answer the common question, "Is caffeine listed on nutrition labels?"

According to the FDA, the requirement to label caffeine varies greatly depending on the product type, leaving many consumers confused. Is caffeine required to be labeled? For some products, only the presence of caffeine as an added ingredient must be listed, while for others, a specific amount is required.

Over 90% of adults in the U.S. consume caffeine daily, yet many are unaware of the surprisingly lax regulations around caffeine labeling. So, does a product have to say if it has caffeine? The answer is not always, and it depends heavily on the product category and the caffeine's source.

According to the World Health Organization, policies regarding the regulation of no- and low-alcohol beverages are often lacking, leading to potential consumer confusion. This ambiguity raises an important question for consumers seeking to reduce or eliminate alcohol intake: is there alcohol in nonalcoholic beverages, and if so, how much?