What does the FDA new nutrition facts label mean to the industry?

In May 2016, the FDA finalized the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Label and Serving Size final rules, significantly revising the nutrition facts label for the first time in over 20 years. July 26, 2018, was slated as the compliance date for most large businesses (those with over $10 million in annual food sales), with smaller companies required to comply by the following year (July 26, 2019). In the meantime, food and dietary supplement companies have been working through interpreting the new requirements, contemplating whether to reformulate certain products and developing timelines to meet the compliance deadlines. 

However, on June 13, the FDA announced that it was delaying the compliance dates to help food manufacturers implement the changes. The agency has not revealed the new dates, nor has it made its “announcement” official by publishing the delay notice in the Federal Register. Some suspect that the dates will be pushed to 2021, to be aligned with the expected timeline for the federal GMO disclosure requirements. But until we know for sure, it raises the question: How should companies forge ahead?