Why The Nutrition Facts Label Belongs on the Front of All Food Packaging

Over the past few years, the Food and Drug Administration, food companies, and food company front groups (like the Food Marketing Institute and the Grocery Manufacturers’ Association ) have spent considerable amounts of time and money tackling the issue of front-of-package nutrition labeling.  As you may recall, this January t he FMI and GMA banded together to create the “Nutrition Keys” , a small graphic set to appear on the upper right-hand corner of the front package of processed foods, summarizing that product’s nutrition information per serving.  The FMI and GMA announced their plan to spend $50 million on a hyped-up PR blitz an “educational campaign” for the public.

Yesterday, as I perused the aisles of a local supermarket and my eyes were relentlessly attacked with dubious health claims and sneaky nutrition advertising, it hit me the FDA needs to legally mandate that the Nutrition Facts Label (and ingredient list!) take up exactly half of the front of all food packaging.  This move would swiftly take care of many issues