On January 14, 2025, the FDA proposed a new rule that could change the way businesses and consumers alike approach food packaging. This rule establishes a new front-of-package (FOP) nutrition label requirement breaking down a few key nutrients and their quantities per serving.
These changes are designed to improve the consumer experience, increasing consumers’ awareness and education about the food products they purchase. For your business, it means adjusting packaging practices to remain compliant.
Follow along to learn more about this new rule and how updates to FDA nutrition labels may impact your operations — and the food industry as a whole.
What is the FDA’s new front-of-package label rule?
In addition to the standard FDA Nutrition Facts labels on the back of product packaging, the proposed rule would require most packaged food to have a new front-of-package nutrition box, also known as the Nutrition Info box. This label is to be placed conveniently on the front of product packaging for immediate visibility, providing at-a-glance information about a few nutritional facts the FDA deems essential for consumers to know.
The new FDA nutrition label will highlight and provide interpreted values for three key nutrients in a food product:
- Saturated fat
- Sodium
- Added sugars
To help consumers determine the impact of these nutrients on their daily diet, nutrient amounts will be categorized into easy-to-understand quantity values of low, medium, and high. These intervals are measured using the following increments:
- Low: 5% or less of daily value (DV) per serving
- Medium: 6 to 19% of DV per serving
- High: 20% or more of DV per serving
It is worth noting that calories are not included in the proposed Nutrition Info box requirements. However, manufacturers can opt to include a voluntary calorie statement that aligns with current FDA regulations.
How does the proposed FDA nutrition label differ from Facts Up Front?
For some food manufacturers, front-of-package nutrition labels are a familiar concept. Many products currently feature the Facts Up Front nutrition labeling system, an industry-led, voluntary labeling initiative driven by the Consumer Brands Association. Manufacturers who participate in Facts Up Front add small nutritional labels to the front of their products outlining the saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars present in their products (as well as certain additional nutrients in some cases) — similar to the FDA's new proposed label. However, Facts Up Front and FDA front-of-package nutrition labels differ in a few key ways:
- Facts Up Front is a voluntary label, while the FDA front-of-package Nutrition Info box will be required.
- Rather than calorie amounts being an optional inclusion, Facts Up Front labels include calorie amounts per serving as a standard.
- The visual layout of Facts Up Front labels varies from the format of a Nutrition Info box.
- While both Facts Up Front and the Info box labels include daily values of each nutrient as percentages, the Info box’s percentages are only to “characterize” each nutrient as low, medium, or high
- Facts Up Front manufacturers can also include up to two “nutrients to encourage" — such as dietary fiber, protein, vitamin D, calcium, iron, potassium, vitamin A, and vitamin C — in addition to the core information.
These two labels share similar goals. However, some industry trade groups have opposed the mandatory rule, with research by the Consumer Brands Association finding that Facts Up Front is already a well-trusted labeling choice among consumers.
So why is the FDA proposing these new label requirements? Let’s break down the logic behind this FDA nutrition label requirement.
Why are these new FDA label requirements being proposed?
The core logic behind adding FDA front-of-package labels to U.S. food products is to help reduce the impact of diet-related chronic diseases on U.S. public health. Chronic diseases associated with poor diet are still a leading cause of death and disability in the U.S., including:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Type 2 diabetes
- Certain types of cancers
Healthy eating habits are associated with a reduced risk of contracting these diseases. Current federal dietary guidelines recommend that consumers limit their consumption of the three nutrients listed in the FOP label to maintain a nutrient-dense diet.
In theory, the addition of this new Nutrition Info box allows consumers to make healthier choices by providing the necessary information to understand the impact of a specific food product on their daily diet.
The FDA also found that regular use of the back-of-package Nutrition Facts label is lower among some segments of the population. This simplified label is intended to increase the use of this information among these consumers — leading to an overall more informed consumer population.
International food labeling policy also played a role in the push for this mandatory label. Other countries, like Chile, have implemented front-of-package nutrition labeling with great success. During phase two of the Chilean labeling rollout, buyers reduced sugar consumption by 37%, sodium by 22%, saturated fat by 16%, and ate 23% fewer total calories from products with warning labels.
These positive results influenced the FDA's decision to propose these mandatory labels for the U.S. market. Meanwhile, the layout of the new FDA Nutrition Info boxes was determined as the most viable option through extensive research that explored consumer sentiment surrounding various labeling options.
But the reasoning behind the rule is only part of the story. Knowing what it means for your business is another crucial consideration.
What would this new rule mean for food manufacturers?
Ultimately, food manufacturers will need to adjust their current labeling practices to become compliant with this rule, if finalized. Manufacturers currently using the Facts Up Front labeling system, for example, would likely need to make the switch to the FDA Nutrition Info box instead.
However, the FDA recognizes that this switch can't happen overnight. To enable a smooth transition, manufacturers generating $10 million or more in annual food sales will have three years to comply after the final rule's effective date. Businesses with annual food sales of less than $10 million will have four years to comply.
Stay compliant with labeling regulations with AIB International
An essential function of the FDA is to help consumers make smart decisions about the products they buy. Part of this duty means providing consumers with the facts they need to make informed decisions in an accessible way. That’s where the FDA’s proposed front-of-package rule comes into play.
To stay ahead of evolving FDA nutrient label requirements and keep up with compliance standards, check out AIB International’s wealth of resources and subscribe for updates.
