Attention Shoppers: Your Groceries Could Soon Come with Warning Labels

Actually a very smart idea. BAM.

Attention Shoppers: Your Groceries Could Soon Come with Warning Labels

Proposed FDA rule would require food manufacturers to put labels on the front of packages flagging levels of salt, added sugar and saturated fat

By Jesse Newman, WSJ

Jan. 14, 2025 12:00 pm ET

Your food could soon come with a warning label.

Under a new rule proposed Tuesday by the Food and Drug Administration, food manufacturers would be required to put new labels on the front of packages flagging key nutrition information on salt, added sugar and saturated fat.

The rule is part of a Biden administration effort to improve American eating habits. The administration sees the labels helping consumers make healthier choices, following an increase in diet-related health problems such as Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

The FDA already requires most packaged foods to display a nutritional label—usually on the back or side. The new labels, dubbed a “nutrition info box,” would go on the front of packages.

They would indicate whether products are considered high, medium or low in salt, added sugar and saturated fat, which the FDA has warned can lead to chronic diseases when consumed in excess.

“Food should be a vehicle for wellness, not a contributor of chronic disease,” said Jim Jones, the FDA’s deputy commissioner for human foods. “It’s possible we’ll see manufacturers reformulate products to be healthier in response to front-of-package nutrition labeling.”

The proposed label is black and white, and includes the percent daily value for each of the three substances.

The move sets up a potential clash with food companies. Industry groups have argued that there is little evidence showing that front-of-package labels would change consumer behavior, and that existing nutrition labels offer consumers enough information.

The FDA said it would accept public comments on its proposal until May 16. If the rule is finalized after that, food manufacturers would be required to add the new labels to most packaged food products three to four years after it takes effect.

It is unclear how the incoming Trump administration will view the rule. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the prospective next head of U.S. health policy, is a critic of processed foods and has been outspoken about his view that U.S. food companies are partly to blame for sickening Americans.

Industry groups have warned the FDA that they could sue to challenge mandatory front-of-package labels. Such labels, they said, could threaten First Amendment rights—because companies could consider them a form of forced speech—and only Congress has the authority to require them.

Some food companies worry that new mandatory labels could unfairly demonize their products, according to industry lobbyists. While candy bars might not be healthy, they said, eating one here or there isn’t a major health risk.

Studies generally have found that front-of-package nutrition labels lead people to identify and choose healthier foods. Chile, Mexico and other countries now require them on food and beverage containers, while others such as France, the U.K. and Australia have voluntary programs.

Some food companies voluntarily display labels on the front of food packages, flagging things such as saturated fat and sodium levels. They also highlight calories and nutrients that companies want to promote, such as fiber or calcium.

Before issuing the proposed rule, the FDA conducted focus groups and a study using mock products to assess consumers’ ability to use different labels to evaluate a food’s healthfulness.

The FDA’s proposed label differs from stop-sign-shaped symbols used in countries such Chile and Mexico in recent years. Those arresting labels, supported by some U.S. lawmakers but anathema to the food industry, can change people’s shopping choices, according to studies conducted since the labels’ introduction.