Transparency in Food Labeling

Since the 1990s, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has required food companies to include Nutrition Facts labels on product packaging. This requirement followed decades of misleading health claims on food packages that made it harder for consumers to follow science-based nutritional recommendations.

Decisions about food are decisions about health: numerous independent studies have linked poor diets to obesity and chronic disease. The Nutrition Facts label has been a critical tool in helping consumers navigate these decisions. Yet the food industry has opposed efforts to update the label and make it more useful for consumers.