Food Industry To Implement Own Front-Label System

The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) and Food Marketing Institute (FMI) have formally announced that they are developing a new, front-of-package (FOP) labeling system, which will begin to appear on packaging early next year.

The food/beverage-makers’ and food retailers’ associations said they are still finalizing the details of the FOP program, as they “continue to consult stakeholders.” They did not provide specifics, other than indicating that FOP labeling would include information on “calories and other nutrients to limit,” as well as on nutrients “needed to build a ‘nutrient-dense’ diet and on ‘shortfall nutrients’ that are under-consumer in the diets of most Americans.”

The associations also said that members had committed to investing $50 million in a consumer awareness-building, educational campaign supporting the new label. The campaign, to launch next year, will be aimed at parents who are primary household shoppers.

The GMA/FMI announcement comes two weeks after an Institute of Medicine (IOM) committee released its report on Phase I of its FOP labeling study, outlining its initial recommendations for core FOP nutrient disclosures and assessment of 20 FOP systems currently in the marketplace. 

The report concluded that FOP labeling should disclose calories, serving size, saturated fats, trans fats and sodium content information, as these address “the most pressing diet-related health concerns and challenges” for consumer nutrition educational and compliance purposes. It also concluded that it is not necessary to include FOP information such as total fat, cholesterol, total carbohydrates and total or added sugars – nor beneficial nutrients such as protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals.

GMA/FMI did not respond to Marketing Daily queries regarding what, if any, role the FDA is playing in terms of the associations’ development and implementation of their label system.  The FDA supplied a statement saying  that it "hopes" that the food industry "will develop a label that aids in consumer understanding and helps parents and other shoppers easily identify and select products that contribute to a healthy diet.”

The FDA will use the IOM's recommendations as it considers whether to implement a standardized, voluntary FOP labeling program.

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