Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Senate approved on Monday, in final reading, a bill establishing new regulations for the labeling of consumer goods sold in the Territory. Compliance includes any traditional food item packaged or bottled for sale — such as “sea”.

Known as the Product Labeling Standards Act of 2026, the legislation requires the following:

All goods bear a label containing the product name, ingredient list or material composition, net quantity or weight, name and contact information of the manufacturer or distributor, country of origin, expiration or best‑use‑by date, and appropriate usage and safety instructions; and,

All labels must be in English, and in Samoan when translation can be accommodated without obscuring mandatory information. 

The Office of Weights and Measures is tasked with adopting rules that specify when a Samoan translation is required.

The bill makes it unlawful to use deceptive, false, or misleading labeling information; omit material facts such as ingredients or expiration dates; use unauthorized symbols, certifications, or language implying endorsement; or present foreign labels without translation. 

It also outlines the process for issuing notices of violation, conducting hearings, and imposing penalties.

Upon determining a violation, the Office of Weights and Measures may impose civil fines of up to $5,000 per violation, suspend or revoke a business license, order a mandatory product recall or seizure, or issue a public notice of enforcement when warranted for public safety. 

An appeals process is also provided.

The bill includes a good‑faith exception, allowing first‑time violators who demonstrate good‑faith efforts and take corrective action within ten business days of receiving notice to avoid penalties.

Before the vote, Senate President Tuaolo Manaia Fruean asked Senator Togiola T.A. Tulafono — the bill’s sponsor — whether the measure would affect traditional Samoan foodstuffs such as the marine delicacy known as “sea.” 

In Samoan usage, sea refers to the thick, sticky internal fluid released by a sea cucumber — a secretion collected and usually bottled in empty glass (often soda) containers, then sold at roadside stalls or markets in neighboring Samoa. Many bottles are brought into the Territory by travelers returning from family visits.

Tuaolo said it was important to clarify whether such customary products would fall under the bill’s regulatory requirements, given their cultural significance and the informal way they are typically prepared and sold.

Togiola responded that any traditional food item packaged or bottled for sale — including sea — would be required to comply with the standards outlined in the bill.

He stressed that the intent is not to restrict cultural practices, but to ensure basic health protections so consumers know exactly what they are purchasing and consuming. Clear labeling and adherence to safety requirements, he said, are essential for public health, regardless of whether the product is traditional or commercially manufactured.

The bill passed unanimously during third reading in the Senate.