# 16 CFR § 500.4: Statement of identity

> Federal · Regulations · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-16-500.4

## Section

- **Citation:** 16 CFR § 500.4
- **Heading:** Statement of identity
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Regulations
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** September 22, 2026
- **Source:** Publisher's official text
- **Location:** Title 16—Commercial Practices > CHAPTER I—FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION > SUBCHAPTER E—RULES, REGULATIONS, STATEMENT OF GENERAL POLICY OR INTERPRETATION AND EXEMPTIONS UNDER THE FAIR PACKAGING AND LABELING ACT > PART 500—REGULATIONS UNDER SECTION 4 OF THE FAIR PACKAGING AND LABELING ACT

## Text

(a) The principal display panel of a consumer commodity shall bear a specification of the identity of the commodity.
(b) Such specification of identity shall comprise a principal feature of the principal display panel, shall be in such type size and so positioned as to render it easily read and understood by the consumer, and shall be in lines generally parallel to the base on which the package or commodity rests as it is designed to be displayed.
(c) Such specification of identity shall be in terms of:
(1) The name now or hereafter specified in or required by any applicable Federal law or regulation; or in the absence thereof,
(2) The common or usual name of the commodity; or in the absence thereof,
(3) The generic name or in other appropriately descriptive terms such as a specification which includes a statement of function.
(d) The specification of identity shall not be false, misleading, or deceptive in any respect. Ingredients or components which are not present in the commodity in a substantial or significantly effective amount may not be mentioned in the specification of identity; except that a component present in a formulation in substantial and effective amounts, but not present in the final product due to conversion or transformation into a different entity (which different entity is present in the final product), may be mentioned in the specification of identity.

## Nearby sections

- [16 CFR § 500.1 § 500.1 Scope of the regulations of this part.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-16-500.1.md)
- [16 CFR § 500.2 § 500.2 Terms defined.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-16-500.2.md)
- [16 CFR § 500.3 § 500.3 Prohibited acts, coverage, general labeling requirements, exemption procedures.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-16-500.3.md)
- [16 CFR § 500.4 § 500.4 Statement of identity.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-16-500.4.md)
- [16 CFR § 500.5 § 500.5 Name and place of business of manufacturer, packer or distributor.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-16-500.5.md)
- [16 CFR § 500.6 § 500.6 Net quantity of contents declaration, location.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-16-500.6.md)
- [16 CFR § 500.7 § 500.7 Net quantity of contents, method of expression.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-16-500.7.md)
- [16 CFR § 500.8 § 500.8 Units of weight or mass and measure.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-16-500.8.md)
- [16 CFR § 500.9 § 500.9 Units of weight or mass, how expressed.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-16-500.9.md)
- [16 CFR § 500.10 § 500.10 Units of fluid measure, how expressed.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-16-500.10.md)
- [16 CFR § 500.11 § 500.11 Measurement of commodity length, how expressed.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-16-500.11.md)
- [16 CFR § 500.12 § 500.12 Measurement of commodities by length and width, how expressed.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-16-500.12.md)
- [16 CFR § 500.13 § 500.13 Measurement of commodities by area measure only, how expressed.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-16-500.13.md)
- [16 CFR § 500.14 § 500.14 Statements of cubic measure and dry measure.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-16-500.14.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/ecfr-16-500.4. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.