Across the entire consumer packaged goods industry, one goal remains consistent — improving our products to meet consumers' needs. This includes implementing new technologies to promote product transparency and ensure Americans can make informed decisions about the foods and beverages they choose and rely on every day.
Nancy Brown, chief executive officer of the American Heart Association, recently opined that “the food and beverage industry should welcome front-of-pack labeling and join the cause.” The fact is, the industry has worked in partnership with the FDA for over a decade to improve nutrition fact labeling for consumers.
One such proactive and collaborative approach to product transparency is an initiative voluntarily developed by the industry: Facts up Front, which puts critical nutritional information, taken straight from the Nutrition Facts panel, on the front of food and beverage packaging. This simplified version of the nutritional label includes calories, saturated fat, sodium, and added sugar content per serving. It allows consumers to quickly assess if an item aligns with their nutritional needs and goals before even turning over the package. Some labels may also provide information about other positive nutrients, such as dietary fiber and calcium. Like the Nutrition Facts panel, Facts up Front is an essential tool for choosing foods that align with dietary preferences and help consumers identify the nutrients they want and want to avoid.
The industry also understands that some consumers want even more detailed information than what can fit on the packaging. SmartLabel, another industry-developed tool, allows people to quickly scan a QR code to find more in-depth nutritional information instantly.
We have researched, invested in, and implemented both Facts up Front and SmartLabel because they are common-sense, easy-to-understand systems that effectively communicate the key nutrients and nutritional facts that consumers seek. Facts up Front replicates existing information from the FDA-mandated Nutrition Facts panel, increasing transparency and aiding nutritional literacy without compromising consumer choice, while SmartLabel takes it one step further.
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To provide the most consumer-friendly labeling, the FDA should continue to rely on collaborative efforts with industry and data-driven research. This requires a holistic approach, which should involve important nutrient information, including calories, both nutrients to encourage and nutrients to limit. Unless the FDA is abandoning its stated goal of developing a system that increases nutrition literacy, why is it promoting schemes with arbitrary scales and symbols that have nothing to do with nutrition?
It is also critical that front-of-package labeling is researched and developed through a transparent, measured, and deliberative approach. This includes opportunities for stakeholder feedback, such as agency requests for information and public meetings and hearings with industry experts. For instance, labeling that uses red, yellow, and green coloring or a stop sign — symbols typically associated with “stop” or “go” — may actually harm individuals struggling with any sort of eating disorder, particularly those engaging in restrictive eating.
If the FDA establishes mandates without this input, the cost of implementation—both to manufacturers and consumers—may outweigh the benefits.
We agree with Brown that “good nutrition starts with education,” which is why we are proud the industry has worked in partnership with the FDA for over a decade to improve the accessibility of critical nutrition facts, promoting nutrition literacy and helping consumers achieve their unique dietary goals through our Facts up Front and SmartLabel initiatives. The makers of America’s food and beverage brands will continue to deliver safe, affordable, and convenient products that consumers want, need, and trust.
Sarah Gallo is the vice president of product policy for the Consumer Brands Association.