U.S. and U.K. Advance Labeling Reforms to Combat Food Waste and Bolster Construction Safety

Governments in the United States and the United Kingdom are advancing significant labeling reforms aimed at tackling major domestic policy goals, including food waste and construction safety, while keeping a close eye on international trade implications. In the U.S., the bipartisan Food Date Labeling Act has garnered widespread support from over 30 major industry players, including Walmart, Amazon, and Unilever. According to the Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation at Harvard Law School, the legislation seeks to create a national standard for date labels to reduce consumer confusion, which is estimated to cause about 6% of all U.S. food waste.

 
Proponents argue that the current patchwork of nearly 47 different labeling terms leads to the premature disposal of safe food, costing businesses and households over $22 billion annually. The proposed act would standardize labels into two simple categories: “BEST If Used By” to indicate food quality and “USE By” for products with safety concerns over time. The legislation would also clarify that food can be donated after its quality date, further combating waste.

Across the Atlantic, the U.K. government is pursuing a similar path of regulatory reform in a different sector. A white paper published by the government outlines significant changes to the regulation of construction products, with a key focus on enhancing product information, marketing, and labeling obligations for manufacturers and suppliers. As reported by GOV.UK, the reforms are designed to create a more robust framework for safety and enforcement, ensuring all products meet a general safety requirement and that information provided to buyers is accurate. Crucially, the paper emphasizes the importance of maintaining consistency with reformed EU regulations. Given that the EU is the U.K.’s largest trading partner for construction products, this alignment is considered vital to reducing trade friction and ensuring continued market access.