Table of Contents
Arlington, Va. – The Food Industry Association today issued a statement regarding the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s proposed rule on mandatory front-of-package (FOP) labeling requirements. Jennifer Hatcher, FMI’s Chief Public Policy Officer, emphasized the organization’s shared commitment to promoting healthier consumer choices while expressing concerns about aspects of the proposal. FMI plans to submit detailed comments on the proposed rule in the coming weeks.
Thorvardur de Shong
“FMI supports FDA’s objectives to reduce diet-related chronic diseases, enhance nutrition efforts, and empower consumers with clear information,” said Hatcher. “However, it is crucial to balance these goals with the need to minimize unnecessary costs and provide consistent, science-based nutrition guidance.”
Hatcher highlighted FMI’s role as co-creator of the Facts Up Front (FUF) program—a voluntary labeling initiative that displays key nutritional information such as calories, saturated fat, sodium, added sugars, and nutrients like fiber and calcium. She noted that FUF, already present on over 200,000 products, has proven effective in aiding consumer decisions.
“We are disappointed that the FDA did not incorporate the FUF system into its proposal, despite its familiarity and utility for consumers,” Hatcher stated.
FMI raised concerns about the proposed rule’s requirement that FOP labels appear on the upper third of packaging. This could necessitate costly redesigns and displace critical information like date labels. Hatcher also critiqued the proposed scheme’s categorization of foods as low, medium, or high in specific nutrients, calling it “overly simplistic” and insufficient for educating consumers about overall dietary patterns.
Nevertheless, FMI acknowledged some positive aspects of the proposal, such as including calorie information alongside FOP labels and adopting a black-and-white labeling scheme with quantitative values.
“FMI is committed to collaborating with FDA to ensure consumers have access to helpful, clear nutrition information without driving up food costs,” Hatcher concluded.
