Wednesday August 4, 2010

NCA Recommends Fact-Based FOP Labeling

Washington, DC — Responding to FDA requests for comments on Front-Of-Pack (FOP) labeling and Shelf Tag Nutrition Symbols, the NCA has recommended four considerations.

The NCA suggests FOP labels should be fact-based as opposed to a single indicator of healthfulness that might inaccurately position some foods as unhealthy. Specifically, the NCA cautions against labels such as numeric and traffic light systems in favor of straightforward, fact-based information, which includes calorie and nutrient content.

To accommodate the variety of portion sizes and packaging options employed by the confectionery industry, the NCA recommends an FOP scheme that would allow exemptions for smaller pack sizes and bulk offerings because of limited space.

According to the association, a calorie-only FOP system has the greatest likelihood of being broadly adopted by confectioners, as it is the simplest and most cost-effective approach, especially for smaller businesses. Further, the NCA suggests the calorie-only option would be the easiest for consumers to use.

The NCA also seeks reasonable time allowance for companies to adopt the FOP scheme, because many purchase several year’s worth of packaging materials at once.