We know that staying on top of labeling requirements is crucial for maintaining your OU kosher certification and ensuring your products reach the right customers. Whether you’ve been with us for years or just need a quick reminder, here’s a friendly refresher on the key OU labeling guidelines.
Avoiding Costly Mistakes 
We all know that errors in labeling can happen, but even minor mistakes can lead to significant consequences like product recalls and unexpected expenses. Mislabeling not only affects your bottom line but can also impact your reputation with customers who rely on accurate information for their dietary needs.
By double-checking your labels and adhering to these guidelines, you can:
- Prevent Expensive Recalls: Accurate labeling helps keep your products on the shelves and out of costly recall processes.
- Maintain Customer Trust: When customers know they can rely on your labels, they’re more likely to remain loyal to your brand.
- Save Time and Resources: Avoiding mistakes means less time spent on corrections and more time focusing on growing your business.
- Keep Product Identification Clear
- What to Do: Ensure your packaging includes the product name, brand name, and company name.
- Why It Matters: This helps everyone—especially your customers—match the product to its certification. It keeps things transparent and avoids confusion.
- Use the OU Symbol Only on Certified Products
- What to Do: Place the OU symbol only on products listed on your Schedule B. If a product is dairy, use OU D.
- Remember: The “D” is important for customers who need to know about dairy content.
- Private Label Products Need an Agreement
- What to Do: For private label products (brands not owned by you), make sure there’s a three-way agreement signed by you, the distributor, and the OU.
- Why It Matters: This ensures all parties uphold kosher standards, even when products carry different brand names.
- Avoid Stickers and Stamps for the OU Symbol
- What to Do: Don’t add the OU symbol using rubber stamps or separate stickers.
- Alternative: If you have packaging without the OU symbol but need to use it, get in touch with us. We’ll help find a solution.
- Apply Labels at Your Certified Facility
- What to Do: Attach labels with the OU symbol only at your certified plant.
- Why It Matters: This prevents mix-ups where the symbol might end up on non-certified products elsewhere.
- Make the OU Symbol Easy to Find
- What to Do: While there’s flexibility, it’s best to place the OU symbol prominently, usually right next to the product name.
- Tip: A visible symbol helps customers quickly recognize your product as kosher-certified.
- Clearly Mark Dairy Products
- What to Do: For dairy items, include a “D” or “Dairy” next to the OU symbol in the same font size—no subscripts.
- Why It Matters: This helps customers with dietary restrictions make informed choices.
- Don’t Include Non-Certified Items
- What to Do: Ensure that any product bearing the OU symbol doesn’t contain non-OU-certified items.
- Example: If your cereal includes a non-certified candy, the cereal box shouldn’t display the OU symbol.
- Be Cautious with Bundled Products
- What to Do: If bundling items with different kosher statuses, don’t put the OU symbol on the outer packaging unless you indicate all statuses (e.g., OU/OU-D).
- Why It Matters: This prevents confusion about what’s inside, keeping trust with your customers.
- Avoid Pre-Printing OU on Generic Packaging
- What to Do: Don’t print the OU symbol on blank or generic boxes, cartons, or bags.
- Reason: Not all products may be certified, and some clients may not be eligible or choose not to display the OU symbol.
- Use the OU Symbol Carefully in Marketing Materials
- What to Do: On websites, letterheads, or brochures, if not all products are certified, include a note like “Products certified when bearing the OU symbol”.
- Why It Matters: This clarifies to customers that they should look for the symbol on specific products.
- Indicate Pareve Status When Helpful
- What to Do: For products that might seem dairy but are pareve (neither meat nor dairy), consider using “OU Pareve”.
- Examples: Items like margarine, pretzels, or roasted nuts.
- Benefit: Helps customers with dietary needs know exactly what they’re getting.
- Properly Label Imitation Products
- What to Do: For items like imitation bacon bits, include the word “Imitation” on the label, following USDA regulations.
- Why It Matters: Keeps labeling transparent and compliant with regulations.
- Clearly Label Mixed OU and OU-D Packages
- What to Do: If a package contains both OU and OU-D products, display both symbols (OU/OU-D) on the outer packaging.
- Purpose: Lets customers know there’s a mix of pareve and dairy items inside.
We appreciate your commitment to maintaining high standards in kosher certification. By keeping these guidelines in mind and ensuring your labels are accurate, you help guarantee that customers trust and enjoy your products without any hiccups.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your OU representative. We’re here to support you every step of the way.