Many countries have adopted front-of-package (FOP) food labels, some that are mandatory and some that are voluntary, according to the Global Food Research Program (GFRP) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Canada implemented the labels in 2022 and will require them in 2026, and Mexico adopted them in 2020. Other countries with mandatory FOP labels include Peru, Chile, Colombia and Argentina, among others, according to GFRP. And several countries have voluntary policies, including United Kingdom, China and South Africa.

Robin McKinnon, senior advisor for nutrition policy at FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, said the FDA has talked to a number of foreign health officials about them. 

“We’ve also reviewed the research on international experiences with FOP schemes in addition to closely reviewing the literature generally on FOP labeling,” she said. “While we can’t speak to the specifics given that a proposed rule is in development, we can say that the schemes we tested in our consumer research included elements found in many of the major types of schemes in use around the world. We also know that labeling needs may vary in different countries due to a variety of factors, and the FDA is developing a system that would be appropriate for the US.” 

This article is an excerpt from the August 2024 issue of Baking & Snack. To read the entire feature on Nutrition Labeling, click here.