Nation of Chile's Front-of-Package Nutrition Labeling Praised
Statement of CSPI Executive Director Michael F. Jacobson
July 20, 2015
With a new food-labeling law, Chile has shown global leadership in efforts to discourage people from eating junk foods. The country has ordered that beginning in 2016, packaged foods that are “high” in calories, saturated fat, refined sugars, or sodium bear stop-sign-shaped warning notices. Such a measure is likely to have a far greater effect in influencing companies to market—and consumers to choose—healthier foods than labeling measures deployed elsewhere.
Chilean labels for this sugary drink
will have to disclose that it is “high in sugars” and “high in calories.”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has expressed interest in front-of-package labeling, and in 2011 the Institute of Medicine has recommended “that the Food and Drug Administration develop, test, and implement a single, standard FOP symbol system to appear on all food and beverage products, in place of other systems already in use.” The FDA has not acted on that recommendation.
