FDA proposes mandatory front-of-package nutrition labels

In January 2025, the FDA proposed a new rule to require food products to include front-of-package labels with key nutritional information. Learn more about what these new labels may look like and how they could improve health. 

How could the FDA’s proposed rule impact food labeling? 

On January 16, 2025, the FDA proposed a new rule that would require front-of-package nutrition labels on packaged foods with information on saturated fat, sodium, and added sugar levels, all three of which Americans on average consume in excess of the recommended amounts under the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 

Under the proposed rule, the front of packaged foods would need to prominently display the percent of recommended daily value per serving for saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars, as well as whether the food product is “High,” “Medium” or “Low” in each of the three nutrients. The new up-front label, which the FDA is calling the “Nutrition Info box,” is meant to complement the Nutrition Facts on the back of food labels by presenting an accessible and easily comprehensible summary of nutrients of public health concern. 

Read more: CSPI celebrates FDA front-of-package nutrition labeling proposal

Why is front-of-package labeling necessary? 

US adults consume 50 percent more sodium, 40 percent more added sugars, and 30 percent more saturated fat per day than the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend, contributing to preventable chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Our packaged food supply is far too high in these harmful nutrients. 

Nutrition Facts labels are important tools to help people select healthy foods and to convey how a particular food can fit into our total daily diet. However, only 63 percent of adults understand how to interpret the percent of daily value on Nutrition Facts Labels, and only 57 percent know how to tell when a food is “High” in a nutrient, with lower rates among those with less education. 

Front-of-package labeling will help make nutrition information more accessible for all consumers. Studies show that front-of-package labeling can result in healthier food purchases and can prompt manufacturers to offer healthier foods, resulting in a healthier food supply. Front-of-package labels can also help counteract the selective positive claims that manufacturers choose to highlight on the front of packages (e.g., All natural! Low fat! High fiber!) to give consumers a more honest snapshot of the food at a glance. 

CSPI has worked for years to enact front-of-package labeling

US officials have been considering front-of-package labeling for almost two decades, and CSPI has been a key proponent along the path toward instituting mandatory front-of-package labeling in the US. The past few years have brought renewed focus and substantial progress. 

In 2006, CSPI filed its first Citizen Petition to the FDA calling for front-of-package labeling. Over the years, congressional legislation such as the Food Labeling Modernization Act of 2021 has sought to overhaul US food labels, including through the introduction of front-of-package labeling. In 2022, CSPI again petitioned the FDA to enact mandatory front-of-package labeling, alongside the Association of SNAP Nutrition Education Administrators and the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists. Also in 2022, the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health Report committed to proposing a front-of-package labeling system in the US. In 2023, the FDA conducted stakeholder engagement, consumer focus groups, and experimental research on front-of-package labeling, and the agency announced its commitment to release a proposed rule. 

Experimental studies and real-world evidence show that "High in" labels like the ones mandated in other countries tend to be more effective at improving the nutritional quality of food purchases than “traffic light” labels, which show when foods have High, Medium, or Low amounts of nutrients of concern. Still, the FDA’s proposed front-of-package labeling system would improve the status quo by increasing transparency, helping consumers to make healthier purchases, and encouraging manufacturers to produce more nutritious foods. 

How you can help 

CSPI has a long history of working to transform the US food labeling landscape, and our efforts have led to improved transparency and accountability from food companies. Our victories include added sugar and sodium warnings in restaurants, the mandatory “Nutrition Facts” panel, and allergen disclosures. We will continue to ensure that food labels evolve in response to changes in the food industry, consumer preferences, and advances in nutrition science. You can support CSPI’s efforts to foster a healthier, safer, and more transparent food system.