Pack Act introduced in Congress to cut through labeling confusion

Packaging Dive reported the development on 2025-12-18. The bill, championed by Ameripen, would preempt state laws and call on the FTC to require certain parameters such as third-party certifications for recyclable, compostable and reusable claims on consumer products.

The report places the news in a wider commercial context. U.S. Rep. Randy Weber, R-Texas, has introduced the Packaging and Claims Knowledge Act, a federal labeling harmonization bill that’s been championed by Ameripen for over a year.

For the food sector, the practical implications extend beyond the immediate announcement. The bill also calls for state preemption. “This uniform structure will replace the confusing patchwork of state regulations, helping businesses provide accurate and transparent information across state lines,” Ameripen said in a news release Wednesday.

Attention now turns to how companies, customers and regulators respond. All the while, unfinished efforts under the Biden administration to get clarity on best practices for sustainability claims by updating the non-binding FTC Green Guides have been quiet under the Trump administration. “Americans want to do the right thing, but misleading labels make that harder,” Weber said in a statement. “The PACK Act cuts through that confusion.