Food packaging should have labels on front about health impact, says WHO
In a significant move to address the escalating global obesity crisis, the World Health Organization (WHO) has released draft guidelines recommending that packaged food and drinks feature easy-to-read nutritional information on the front of products. This initiative aims to empower consumers to make healthier choices, though it stops short of endorsing more stringent warning labels.
The guidelines, which have not been publicly reported until now, were developed in response to the rising consumption of processed foods high in salt, sugar, and fat—key contributors to obesity, which affects over a billion people worldwide and leads to an estimated eight million premature deaths annually from related health issues like diabetes and heart disease.
As of now, only 43 WHO member states have implemented any form of front-of-package labelling, whether mandatory or voluntary, despite evidence that such labels can significantly influence consumer purchasing behavior. The WHO began crafting these guidelines in 2019, emphasizing their goal to support healthier food choices among consumers.
Katrin Engelhardt, a scientist in the WHO’s Nutrition and Food Safety department, stated, “The guidelines are intended to help consumers make informed decisions regarding their food purchases.” A public consultation period for the guidelines concluded on October 11, with the final version set for release in early 2025.
Among the recommendations is the implementation of “interpretive” labels that not only present nutritional information but also explain its implications for health. The NutriScore system, developed in France and adopted by several European countries, serves as an example, ranking foods from A (indicating high nutritional value) to E (indicating high levels of unhealthy ingredients).
In contrast, Chile and various Latin American nations have adopted more stringent warning labels, prominently displaying alerts about high sugar, salt, or fat content. Lindsey Smith Taillie, co-director of the Global Food Research Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, noted that the food industry tends to resist warning labels, favoring “non-interpretive” approaches that lack guidance on nutritional content.
As discussions continue around food labelling, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders has announced plans for a Senate hearing in December to explore tougher regulations. While the WHO’s recommendations mark progress, Taillie characterized them as “fairly weak,” emphasizing that stronger measures, like warning labels, are essential for limiting excess intake of harmful ingredients.
Research from Chile indicates that such warning labels, alongside marketing restrictions aimed at children, have led to significant reductions in the purchase of unhealthy food products, with consumers buying 37% less sugar and 23% fewer total calories since the law’s implementation.
The WHO acknowledged the need for further research to determine the most effective labelling systems. Meanwhile, the International Food and Beverage Alliance, representing major companies like Coca-Cola and Mondelez International, stated that while their members support WHO’s guidelines, they oppose labels that could demonize certain products, arguing that all approved food items are safe for consumption.
As the global health community grapples with the complexities of food marketing and public health, the push for clearer nutritional labelling may be a crucial step toward reversing the tide of obesity and related health crises worldwide.