Mexico’s new front of pack (FOP) nutritional labeling regulations enter into force on June 30, 2015. The most significant change with the new regulations is the mandate to include an FOP nutrition label with information icons on saturated fat, other fat, sugar, sodium, and energy as a percentage of daily nutrients in colored icons (see image below). Family packs (including cheeses of 90g or more) need a sixth icon of energy per pack.

The regulation establishes specific size and placement requirements for the FOP icons, as well as rounding rules for the numbers displayed inside them. For additional details on the new FOP labeling requirements, see Volume 3 of the USDEC Export Guide.

The Mexican importer may request an extension of up to one year for the enforcement of the FOP labeling. The request should be made through a letter in Spanish from the Mexican importer or party responsible for the products in Mexico to the Ministry of Health’s Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risk (COFEPRIS). The letter should state the reasons for the request to delay implementation and should list the products exactly as they are registered with COFEPRIS when the importer requests the import permit. The legal representative or the person authorized by COFEPRIS for the import of the goods should sign the request letter. There are no charges associated with the extension request.

The importer (or responsible party) should submit the extension request to Lic. José Noé Lizárraga Camacho at COFEPRIS:

Comisión Federal Para la Protección contra Riesgos Sanitarios
Comisión de Operación Sanitaria
Atn: Lic. José Noé Lizárraga Camacho
Director Ejecutivo de Dictamen Sanitario de la Comisión de Operación Sanitaria
Oklahoma 14, Col. Napoles, Benito Juarez, Distrito Federal, México, C.P. 03810
nlizarraga@cofepris.gob.mx

We have been advised that the company sending the letter will receive a receipt from COFEPRIS which will protect the company so they can continue using their "old labels" until COFEPRIS gives an answer. The stated response time from COFEPRIS takes from 15 to 30 days, though in practice the timeframe may be longer.

An example of a letter requesting a time extension can be found here.