How to Pick the Right FDA Label Format for Your Product

Nutrition labels aren’t one-size-fits-all. The FDA offers five primary formats to accommodate everything from single-ingredient condiments to tiny packets of gum, to club-sized cereal multi-packs, and choosing the wrong one can put your label out of compliance.

Here’s a breakdown of the FDA’s accepted Nutrition Facts formats and when each is required or allowed.

1. Standard (Vertical) Format

The most common format is used for tons of everyday foods, from crackers to pasta to yogurt, when there’s sufficient vertical space on the label.

Use when:

• Your label is large enough to accommodate the full vertical layout, typically 3” of label height or more
• You don’t qualify for any exceptions (below)

This is the default - unless you meet specific criteria for an alternative format, the FDA expects you to use this.

2. Tabular Format

Also called the “side-by-side” format.

Use when:

• Your package is too small to fit the full vertical format, but you still have enough width
• You’re able to show all required nutrients clearly in rows/columns

Tabular is typically used on narrow or odd-shaped packaging, such as protein bars or stick packs.

3. Linear Format

A space-saving, one-line format for extremely small packages.

Use when:

• There’s insufficient space for standard or tabular formats
• Your total printable area is <12 square inches

The linear format may omit some nutrients, which the FDA gives strict guidance on. You’ll still need to include serving size, calories, and key nutrient data.

4. Dual Column + Aggregate Formats

The Dual Column displays per-serving and per-container values side by side; similarly, the Aggregate Format shows two distinct labels side by side.

Use when:

• The product is reasonably consumed in one sitting, but contains more than one serving (such as a 3-serving bottle of juice or a 2-serving frozen entrée)
• The package contains two or more separate foods that are intended to be eaten individually (like a cheese and cracker snack pack)

Dual column and Aggregate formats essentially show two labels side-by-side: helping the consumer understand both the "official" serving and what they're actually consuming, as well as the nutritional makeup of individual components of a package. 

5. Simplified Format (Now Available in ENTR)

A streamlined format that includes only a subset of nutrients.

Use when:

• Your product contains insignificant amounts, defined by FDA thresholds, of most required nutrients (double check in 21 CFR 101.9(f))

This is ideal for products like plain teas, spice blends, or low-calorie beverages.

Important: You must legally qualify to use the simplified format. ENTR can help flag this eligibility automatically based on your formulation.

Choosing the Right Format

Label format isn’t just a design choice - it’s regulated. Navigating labeling rules and regulations can be tricky, but we have tools to help you make the right label choice.

ENTR makes it easy to:

• Automatically apply the correct format based on product data and packaging constraints
• Switch formats (including Simplified) for qualifying products
• Export FDA-compliant Nutrition Facts panels in image or PDF formats

New Feature: Simplified format is now available in ENTR - one of our most requested label exports.