Why You Should Adopt Front-of-Package Labeling
Front-of-Package (FOP) labeling became commonplace in the food industry by the end of the 20th century, and it continues to increase in popularity in recent years. But do FOP labels affect the market and food products' nutritional content?
Some studies indicate that consumers respond well to FOP labels and that FOP labeling can help promote the development of healthier food products. As a food producer, you need to understand the benefits of FOP labeling to determine if it's the right choice for your offerings.
What is FOP?
One of the most prominent examples of FOP labeling is the voluntary "Facts Up Front" spearheaded by the food industry. FOP nutrition labels provide simple nutrition facts where consumers can easily see them when shopping. This FOP information is an addition to the mandated Nutrition Facts table (NFt) or nutrition facts label usually displayed on the back or side of consumer packaged goods (Goodman, 2018).
Chile was the first country to mandate FOP for products high in calories, sugar, saturated fats, and sodium (Goodman, 2018). The food producers that adopt the practice may list their food products' calories, saturated fats, sugar, and sodium content on large FOP labels.
The labeling schemes vary in designs as in shapes, colors, and sizes, depending on the nutrition message and focus. While the most common critical nutrients in FOP nutrient labels are sodium, fats, and sugars, the labels can also highlight certain nutrient-rich components like fiber content, whole grains, proteins, fruits, and vegetables.
The health logo systems were the first FOP nutritional labeling system to be implemented. The design varies depending on region. For instance, the keyhole logo was introduced in Nordic European countries in 1989, while Asian countries use healthier choices logos from the Choices International system (Kanter, 2018).
How Does FOP Affect Consumers' Behavior?
Adopting FOP labels improves the nutritional content of food products, according to one large-scale research study (Lim, 2020). Rishika Rishika, one of the co-authors, says the researchers wanted to find out if food companies were responding to the increased public interest in healthier food. As such, they evaluated nutritional data on 44 categories of food products from 1996 to 2011 and found that the market drives change in the nutrition of food products.
The products that adopted the "Facts Up Front" style FOP nutrition labels showed a 12.5% reduction in calories, a 12.97% reduction in saturated fats, a 12.62% reduction in sugar, and a 3.74% reduction in sodium.
According to the researchers, consumers consider products with FOP labels better in terms of nutritional profile than the other choices, especially those that identify calories, saturated fats, sugar, and sodium per serving size. This causes competitive pressure on other brands. Thus, the food industry collectively innovates and improves the nutritional quality of its food products.
FOP labels provide consumers better understanding of the nutrient amounts in their food. As such, they can select food items with better nutritional quality than other competitors (Lim, 2020). In particular, FOP nutrition facts labels led low-income parents to choose healthier nutrient profiles (Blitstein, 2020). Further, FOP label design plays a role in the consumers' selection process. Symbols on the design such as exclamation marks, stop signs, triangles, red circles, and magnifying glasses, accompanied by the phrase "high in" make the labels more intuitive. These styles of labels can warn consumers about nutrients of public health concern (Goodman, 2018).
In recent years, some governments and private sector entities have proposed policies regarding FOP nutrition labeling. However, the real-life impact of any mandatory labeling systems on consumer behavior and food reformulation is still undetermined (Kanter, 2018).
How Does FOP Affect Food Quality?
The emergence of the global obesity epidemic and the abundance of processed foods prompted the public and private FOP nutrition labeling initiatives at the start of the 21st century. These programs continue to increase, especially after the World Health Organization's (WHO) policy to improve diet and health in 2004 to fight obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases (Kanter, 2018).
FOP programs address these health issues by informing consumers about healthier food choices and encouraging the food industry to reformulate its products into healthier options. However, it is important to note that ingredients such as sugar and salt are necessary at certain levels in shelf stable, frozen, and other industry prepared foods for not only flavor, but also to maintain product safety from pathogenic bacteria and product quality from spoilage organisms and rancidity. Balance of levels is key for optimum health, product safety, and product quality.
Is FOP Labeling Right for You?
Research shows that consumers consider foods with FOP labels as higher-quality products compared to other brands. That means you can potentially increase your sales and communicate effectively with your target consumers by adopting FOP labeling.
Analytical food testing is necessary for accurate FOP labeling. You can confirm all the ingredients and nutrients that make up your product by partnering with a trusted laboratory. Once you have clarity on your food ingredients, you can create FOP labels that provide meaningful insights to consumers.
Let our team of scientists become not just your third party laboratory, but your partner in food quality and safety with its innovation, tailored services, and commitment to the highest standards of scientific excellence. For more inquiries about product testing and FOP labeling, contact us today.
