The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has proposed requiring a front-of-package (FOP) nutrition label for most packaged foods. 

The agency says this proposal plays a role in its nutrition priorities, which are part of a government-wide effort in combatting chronic diseases. If finalized, consumers would have access to readily visible information about a food’s saturated fat, sodium and added sugars content. The proposed FOP nutrition label would show whether the food has “Low,” “Med” or “High” levels of these nutrients. It complements the FDA’s Nutrition Facts label, which gives consumers more detailed information about the nutrients in their food.

Chronic diseases, including heart disease, cancer and diabetes, are the leading cause of disability and death in the U.S. With 60% of Americans having at least one chronic disease, such diseases are also the drivers of the nation’s $4.5 trillion in annual health care costs. Research indicates that a major contributor to this problem is excess consumption of saturated fat, sodium and added sugars.

“The science on saturated fat, sodium and added sugars is clear,” says FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf. “Nearly everyone knows or cares for someone with a chronic disease that is due, in part, to the food we eat. It is time we make it easier for consumers to glance, grab and go. Adding front-of-package nutrition labeling to most packaged foods would do that. We are fully committed to pulling all the levers available to the FDA to make nutrition information readily accessible as part of our efforts to promote public health.”

The proposed label is informed by research conducted by the FDA, including a scientific literature review, consumer focus groups and a peer-reviewed experimental study. In 2023, the FDA conducted an experimental study of nearly 10,000 U.S. adults to further explore consumer responses to three different types of FOP labels. The purpose of the experimental study was to identify which FOP schemes enabled participants to make quicker and more accurate assessments of the healthfulness of a product based on the levels of saturated fat, sodium and added sugars displayed. The experimental study showed that the black and white nutrition info scheme with the percent daily value performed best in helping consumers identify healthier food options.  

“Food should be a vehicle for wellness, not a contributor of chronic disease,” says Jim Jones, FDA deputy commissioner for human foods. “In addition to our goal of providing information to consumers, it’s possible we’ll see manufacturers reformulate products to be healthier in response to front-of-package nutrition labeling. Together, we hope the FDA’s efforts, alongside those of our federal partners, will start stemming the tide of the chronic disease crisis in our country.”

The proposed rule, if finalized, would require food manufacturers to add a nutrition info box to most packaged food products three years after the final rule’s effective date for businesses with $10 million or more in annual food sales and four years after the final rule’s effective date for businesses with less than $10 million in annual food sales.  

Comments on the proposed rule can be submitted electronically to http://www.regulations.gov by May 16.