5 FDA Label Font Size Mistakes That Trigger Warning Letters
If you design nutrition facts panels, these are the formatting errors the FDA flags most often — and they're all preventable.
1. Nutrition Facts Header Below 13pt
The title "Nutrition Facts" must be set in Franklin Gothic Heavy or Helvetica Black at no smaller than 13pt. Many designers drop it to 11pt to save space. The FDA notices.
2. Serving Size Not in 10pt Bold
Serving size and servings per container require 10pt minimum, bold weight. This is separate from the 8pt minimum that applies to other panel elements.
3. Calorie Count Below 16pt (2020 Format)
Under the updated 2020 label format, the calorie declaration must be significantly larger — 16pt Helvetica Black minimum. The old 2016 format allowed smaller type.
4. % Daily Value Header Not in 8pt
The "% Daily Value*" header and footnote have their own minimums. Dropping below 8pt is a common shortcut that creates compliance risk.
5. Insufficient Hairline Rules
The FDA specifies exact point weights for horizontal rules separating label sections. The bar beneath calories should be 7pt, while standard dividers are 0.5pt. Swapping these is a frequent error.
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