FDA’s proposed front label design. (Image credit: FDA)

In response to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) proposed rule on mandatory front-of-packaging (FOP) requirements, FMI – The Food Industry Association noted its concern that any action regarding labels be “done in a way that minimizes unnecessary costs while providing consumers with clear, consistent and science-based nutrition information,” as Jennifer Hatcher, chief public policy officer, at the Washington, D.C.-based trade association, said in a statement.

“As the co-creator of the Facts Up Front (FUF) program – a voluntary labeling program designed to highlight key product information like calories, saturated fat, sodium, added sugars and nutrients to encourage like fiber and calcium − FMI believes it is the best-suited scheme with clear facts to help consumers make informed choices based on their personal needs,” continued Hatcher. “Given that consumers are already familiar with the FUF icons on well over 200,000 products, we are disappointed that it was not selected as part of FDA’s proposed rule.”

She pointed out that if the FOP scheme were required to appear on the upper third of the principal display panel, “[t]his would require a redesign of most packaging labels and displace other important information like date labels, leading to significant cost increases with limited corresponding benefit to public health.”