NCL applauds FDA for taking action on front-of-package nutrition labeling

Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, (202) 207-2829

Washington, DC – On behalf of the nation’s consumers who are looking for better information to make healthier food purchases, the National Consumers League (NCL) applauds the Food and Drug Administration for issuing a proposed rule to require a standardized front-of-package (FOP) nutrition label on most packaged foods.

Intended to provide accessible, at-a-glance information when consumers are choosing what foods and beverage products to buy, the proposed FOP nutrition label, in the form of a “Nutrition Info” box, would prominently disclose whether the food/beverage contains high, medium or low amounts of saturated fat, sodium and added sugars per serving. As such, consumers will have a new tool to reduce their consumption of these nutrients and thereby lower their risk for obesity and diet-related chronic diseases that are responsible for a million deaths each year.

NCL, along with many consumer, nutrition and public health organizations, have been pressing for FOP nutrition labeling for decades, based on the experiences in 16 other countries where this front-of-package information has been successful in influencing healthier food purchasing decisions.

Now that the rule has been published, NCL urges the incoming Trump Administration to finalize this important rulemaking in the public interest. Taking this step would be an important way to make America healthy, a goal of the Trump Administration.

NCL has been at the forefront of food safety since 1899 and remains dedicated to advocating for clear food labels to help consumers make informed decisions. We believe in clear, truthful, and comprehensive food labeling, including ingredients, nutritional information, and any potential allergens. Our more than 125 years of advocacy have helped shape numerous historic policies and regulations that govern food safety and labeling today.

Below is an example of a FOP food label:

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About the National Consumers League (NCL) 

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.