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FTC RIN: 3084-AB33 Publication ID: Spring 2015 
Title: Fair Packaging and Labeling Act Regulations  
Abstract:

As part of its ongoing systematic review of all Federal Trade Commission rules and guides, the Commission requested comments on March 19, 2014, regarding, among other things, the economic impact and benefits of the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (FPLA) Rules; possible conflict between the rules and State, local, or other Federal laws or regulations; and the effect on the rules of any technological, economic, or other industry changes. The comment period closed on May 21, 2014. On February 2, 2015, the Commission proposed amendments to the rules, including modernizing the place-of-business listing requirement to incorporate online resources and eliminating obsolete references to commodities advertised using the terms "cents off,” "introductory offer,” and "economy size.” 80 FR 5491. The agency also proposed to revise the rules to incorporate a more comprehensive metric conversion chart. The comment period closed on March 30, 2015. Staff anticipates forwarding a recommendation to the Commission during August 2015.

 

The FPLA requires consumer commodities to be marked with statements of: (1) identity; (2) net quantity of contents; and (3) name and place of the business of manufacturer, packer, or distributor. These requirements serve FPLA's stated purpose of "enabling consumers to obtain accurate information as to the quantity of the contents and ... to facilitate value comparisons." The FTC is responsible for FPLA enforcement regarding all consumer commodities other than foods, drugs, and cosmetics, and pursuant to section 6(b) of FPLA, the Commission promulgated the implementing regulations found in 16 CFR parts 500, 501, 502, and 503. Pursuant to 1992 amendments to the FPLA, the Commission has amended these regulations to require the use of the units of both the customary inch/pound measurement system and the metric measurement system in the net quantity statement for certain consumer commodities. The amended regulations became effective on February 14, 1994.

 
Agency: Federal Trade Commission(FTC)  Priority: Substantive, Nonsignificant 
RIN Status: Previously published in the Unified Agenda Agenda Stage of Rulemaking: Proposed Rule Stage 
Major: Undetermined  Unfunded Mandates: No 
CFR Citation: 16 CFR 500    16 CFR 501    16 CFR 502    16 CFR 503   
Legal Authority: Fair Packaging and Labeling Act, 15 U.S.C. 1451   
Legal Deadline:  None
Timetable:
Action Date FR Cite
ANPRM  03/19/2014  79 FR 15272   
ANPRM Comment Period End  05/21/2014 
NPRM  02/02/2015  80 FR 5491   
NPRM Comment Period End  03/30/2015 
Recommendation to Commission  08/00/2015 
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Undetermined  Government Levels Affected: None 
Small Entities Affected: Businesses  Federalism: No 
Included in the Regulatory Plan: No 
RIN Data Printed in the FR: No 
Related RINs: Previously reported as 3084-AA46 
Agency Contact:
Doug Wolfe
Attorney
Federal Trade Commission
600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., CC-9528,
Washington, DC 20580
Phone:202 326-3113
Email: dwolfe@ftc.gov