Regulations last checked for updates: Nov 22, 2024

Title 16 - Commercial Practices last revised: Nov 20, 2024
Table of Contents
SCOPE

§ 502.1 - Scope of the regulations in this part.

DEFINITIONS

§ 502.2 - Terms defined.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

§ 502.3 - Prohibited acts.

CHARACTERIZATION OF PACKAGE SIZE

§§ 502.4-502.99 - §[Reserved]

RETAIL SALE PRICE REPRESENTATIONS

§§ 502.100-502.102 - §[Reserved]

COMMON NAME AND INGREDIENT LISTING

§§ 502.200-502.299 - §[Reserved]

NONFUNCTIONAL-SLACK-FILL

§§ 502.300-502.399 - §[Reserved]

SCOPE
§ 502.1 - Scope of the regulations in this part.

The regulations in this part establish requirements for labeling of consumer commodities with respect to use of package size characterizations, retail sale price representations, and common name and ingredient listing. Additionally, the regulations in this part establish criteria to prevent nonfunctional-slack-fill of packages containing consumer commodities.

DEFINITIONS
§ 502.2 - Terms defined.

As used in this part, unless the context otherwise specifically requires:

(a) The terms Act, regulation or regulations, consumer commodity, package, label, person, commerce, principal display panel, and random package have the same meaning as those terms are defined under part 500 of this chapter.

(b) The term packager and labeler means any person engaged in the packaging or labeling of any consumer commodity for distribution in commerce or any person, other than a common carrier for hire, a contract carrier for hire, or a freight forwarder for hire, engaged in the distribution in commerce of any packaged or labeled consumer commodity; except persons engaged in business as wholesale or retail distributors of consumer commodities are not included unless such persons (1) are engaged in the packaging or labeling of such commodities, or (2) prescribe or specify by any means the manner in which such commodities are packaged or labeled.

(c) The terms ordinary and customary and regular when used with the term price means the price at which a consumer commodity has been openly and actively sold in the most recent and regular course of business in a particular market or trade area for a reasonably substantial period of time, i.e., a 30-day period. For consumer commodities which fluctuate in price, the ordinary and customary price shall be the lowest price at which any substantial sales were made during the aforesaid 30-day period.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
§ 502.3 - Prohibited acts.

(a) No person engaged in the packaging or labeling of any consumer commodity for distribution in commerce, and no person (other than a common carrier for hire, a contract carrier for hire, or a freight forwarder for hire) engaged in the distribution in commerce of any packaged or labeled consumer commodity, shall distribute or cause to be distributed in commerce any such commodity if such commodity is contained in a package, or if there is affixed to that commodity a label, which does not conform to the provisions of the Act and of the regulations in this part.

(b) Persons engaged in business as wholesale or retail distributors of consumer commodities shall be subject to the Act and the regulations in this part to the extent that such persons are engaged in the packaging or labeling of consumer commodities, or prescribe or specify by any means the manner in which such consumer commodities are packaged or labeled.

CHARACTERIZATION OF PACKAGE SIZE
§§ 502.4-502.99 - §[Reserved]
RETAIL SALE PRICE REPRESENTATIONS
§§ 502.100-502.102 - §[Reserved]
COMMON NAME AND INGREDIENT LISTING
§§ 502.200-502.299 - §[Reserved]
NONFUNCTIONAL-SLACK-FILL
§§ 502.300-502.399 - §[Reserved]
authority: 15 U.S.C. 1454,1455
source: 36 FR 12286, June 30, 1971, unless otherwise noted.
cite as: 16 CFR 502.1