FOP Labelling Options Overview

December 14th, 2017

Not long ago it was unthinkable to name a product ‘healthy’ or ‘unhealthy’ on the label. “There are no healthy or unhealthy products, only healthy or unhealthy diets,” so goes the mantra.  Nowadays it is generally understood that many consumers have difficulty understanding nutrition information on-pack and that an interpretation of these data can bridge that gap. Front-of-pack labelling options that guide or ‘nudge’ consumers into a healthy direction are becoming more commonplace.

These systems are based on different approaches: positive, negative, simple, complex. To facilitate this ongoing dialogue, Choices recently developed this concise overview in cooperation with the Global Food Research Program of the University of North Carolina. It clearly shows that programs aligned with the Choices principles are the most positive and the simplest labelling options available. According to a WHO Europe report in 2013, almost half of the European population is health illiterate. Consumer guidance to health should, therefore, be easy to understand and as simple as possible. We invite you to use this overview in your ongoing discussions on this important topic.

The WHO-WE report can be found here