(a) The term information panel as it applies to packaged food means that part of the label immediately contiguous and to the right of the principal display panel as observed by an individual facing the principal display panel with the following exceptions:

(1) If the part of the label immediately contiguous and to the right of the principal display panel is too small to accommodate the necessary information or is otherwise unusable label space, e.g., folded flaps or can ends, the panel immediately contiguous and to the right of this part of the label may be used.

(2) If the package has one or more alternate principal display panels, the information panel is immediately contiguous and to the right of any principal display panel.

(3) If the top of the container is the principal display panel and the package has no alternate principal display panel, the information panel is any panel adjacent to the principal display panel.

(b) All information required to appear on the label of any package of food under §§101.4, 101.5, 101.8, 101.9, 101.13, 101.17, 101.36, subpart D of part 101, and part 105 of this chapter shall appear either on the principal display panel or on the information panel, unless otherwise specified by regulations in this chapter.

(c) All information appearing on the principal display panel or the information panel pursuant to this section shall appear prominently and conspicuously, but in no case may the letters and/or numbers be less than one-sixteenth inch in height unless an exemption pursuant to paragraph (f) of this section is established. The requirements for conspicuousness and legibility shall include the specifications of §§101.7(h)(1) and (2) and 101.15.

(1)

(i) Soft drinks packaged in bottles manufactured before October 31, 1975 shall be exempt from the requirements prescribed by this section to the extent that information which is blown, lithographed, or formed onto the surface of the bottle is exempt from the size and placement requirements of this section.

(ii) Soft drinks packaged in bottles shall be exempt from the size and placement requirements prescribed by this section if all of the following conditions are met:

(A) If the soft drink is packaged in a bottle bearing a paper, plastic foam jacket, or foil label, or is packaged in a nonreusable bottle bearing a label lithographed onto the surface of the bottle or is packaged in metal cans, the product shall not be exempt from any requirement of this section other than the exemptions created by §1.24(a)(5) (ii) and (v) of this chapter and the label shall bear all required information in the specified minimum type size, except the label will not be required to bear the information required by §101.5 if this information appears on the bottle closure or on the lid of the can in a type size not less than one-sixteenth inch in height, or if embossed on the lid of the can in a type size not less than one-eighth inch in height.

(B) If the soft drink is packaged in a bottle which does not bear a paper, plastic foam jacket or foil label, or is packaged in a reusable bottle bearing a label lithographed onto the surface of the bottle:

(1) Neither the bottle nor the closure is required to bear nutrition labeling in compliance with §101.9, except that any multiunit retail package in which it is contained shall bear nutrition labeling if required by §101.9; and any vending machine in which it is contained shall bear nutrition labeling if nutrition labeling is not present on the bottle or closure, if required by §101.9.

(2) All other information pursuant to this section shall appear on the top of the bottle closure prominently and conspicuously in letters and/or numbers no less than one thirty-second inch in height, except that if the information required by §101.5 is placed on the side of the closure in accordance with §1.24(a)(5)(ii) of this chapter, such information shall appear in letters and/or numbers no less than one-sixteenth inch in height.

(3) Upon the petition of any interested person demonstrating that the bottle closure is too small to accommodate this information, the Commissioner may by regulation establish an alternative method of disseminating such information. Information appearing on the closure shall appear in the following priority:

(i) The statement of ingredients.

(ii) The name and address of the manufacturer, packer, or distributor.

(iii) The statement of identity.

(2) Individual serving-size packages of food served with meals in restaurants, institutions, and on board passenger carriers, and not intended for sale at retail, are exempt from type-size requirements of this paragraph, provided:

(i) The package has a total area of 3 square inches or less available to bear labeling;

(ii) There is insufficient area on the package available to print all required information in a type size of 1⁄16 inch in height;

(iii) The information required by paragraph (b) of this section appears on the label in accordance with the provisions of this paragraph, except that the type size is not less than 1⁄32 inch in height.

(d)

(1) Except as provided by §§101.9(j)(13) and (j)(17) and 101.36(i)(2) and (i)(5), all information required to appear on the principal display panel or on the information panel under this section shall appear on the same panel unless there is insufficient space. In determining the sufficiency of the available space, except as provided by §§101.9(j)(17) and 101.36(i)(5), any vignettes, designs, and other nonmandatory label information shall not be considered. If there is insufficient space for all of this information to appear on a single panel, it may be divided between these two panels, except that the information required under any given section or part shall all appear on the same panel. A food whose label is required to bear the ingredient statement on the principal display panel may bear all other information specified in paragraph (b) of this section on the information panel.

(2) Any food, not otherwise exempted in this section, if packaged in a container consisting of a separate lid and body, and bearing nutrition labeling pursuant to §101.9, and if the lid qualifies for and is designed to serve as a principal display panel, shall be exempt from the placement requirements of this section in the following respects:

(i) The name and place of business information required by §101.5 shall not be required on the body of the container if this information appears on the lid in accordance with this section.

(ii) The nutrition information required by §101.9 shall not be required on the lid if this information appears on the container body in accordance with this section.

(iii) The statement of ingredients required by §101.4 shall not be required on the lid if this information appears on the container body in accordance with this section. Further, the statement of ingredients is not required on the container body if this information appears on the lid in accordance with this section.

(e) All information appearing on the information panel pursuant to this section shall appear in one place without other intervening material.

(f) If the label of any package of food is too small to accommodate all of the information required by §§101.4, 101.5, 101.8, 101.9, 101.13, 101.17, 101.36, subpart D of part 101, and part 105 of this chapter, the Commissioner may establish by regulation an acceptable alternative method of disseminating such information to the public, e.g., a type size smaller than one-sixteenth inch in height, or labeling attached to or inserted in the package or available at the point of purchase. A petition requesting such a regulation, as an amendment to this paragraph, shall be submitted under part 10 of this chapter.

[42 FR 14308, Mar. 15, 1977, as amended at 42 FR 15673, Mar. 22, 1977; 42 FR 45905, Sept. 13, 1977; 42 FR 47191, Sept. 20, 1977; 44 FR 16006, Mar. 16, 1979; 49 FR 13339, Apr. 4, 1984; 53 FR 16068, May 5, 1988; 58 FR 44030, Aug. 18, 1993; 60 FR 17205, Apr. 5, 1995; 62 FR 43074, Aug. 12, 1997; 62 FR 49847, Sept. 23, 1997; 63 FR 14817, Mar. 27, 1998; 81 FR 59131, Aug. 29, 2016]