SEATTLE — Mandatory front-of-pack (FOP) labeling rules for added sugars, expected from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in October (originally expected in June), are just the beginning of government efforts to reduce sugar consumption and prompt product reformulation away from sugar, Courtney Gaine, PhD, president and chief executive officer, The Sugar Association, told attendees at the International Sweetener Symposium Aug. 6.     

“Front-of-pack labeling will not do much by itself,” Gaine said, adding that information about calories also is important. “The fact that calories aren’t in consideration is a problem.”

She noted that FOP labeling for added sugars was just the first step, or “part of a toolbox,” in the FDA’s attempt to reduce sugar consumption.

“It’s more than just more information,” she said.

One FDA goal is to prompt food manufacturers to reformulate away from sugar, she said, citing an FDA document that said, “The mandatory declaration of added sugars may also prompt product reformulation of foods high in added sugars like what was seen when trans fat labeling was mandated.”

“The FDA is moving forward quickly without evidence that it (FOP labeling) really works,” Gaine said. “That’s a little scary.”

“Seventy-five percent of consumers support front-of-pack labeling,” she said, but without added information about calories, use of artificial sweeteners to replace sugar and other information, the added information is lacking.

The FDA is aiming at “nutritionally illiterate” consumers, or those with low nutrition literacy who aren’t going to flip the product over to the back panel that contains additional information, Gaine said. 

Humberto Jasso Torres, executive president, Mexican Sugar Chamber, said that since Mexico mandated FOP labeling along with warning signs in 2020, sugar consumption has declined, but diabetes and obesity rates have continued to increase. Further, he said that many food manufacturers replaced sugar with artificial sweeteners, which do not have to be listed on the front of the pack. Since 2002 (well before FOP labeling for sugar was implemented), sugar consumption has declined by 33%, the percentage of overweight people has increased by 76% and the presence of diabetes has risen 207% in Mexico, Jasso Torres said. Consumption of non-caloric sweeteners increased 760% from 1993 to 2020, taking a sharp increase in 2020. 

There should be clarity for consumers about the intake of artificial sweeteners, Jasso Torres said, such as “no sugar” should be changed to “sweetened with Aspartame,” as an example. 

“Everything in the supermarket has a label on it. Is that adding more information?” Jasso Torres said, adding that much of the additional information isn’t understandable to consumers. “The problem is that it’s not solving anything. It’s harmful for packaged goods manufacturers and not beneficial for consumers’ health.” 

In Mexico, added sugars include all types of caloric sweeteners, but sugar and high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) should be labeled separately, Jasso Torres said. Consumption of HFCS, which is mostly imported from the United States, has increased because of its price advantage over domestically produced cane sugar. Legal challenges from the food industry concerning FOP labeling have failed, he said. 

Melissa San Miguel, president, Red Flag USA, noted that labeling laws began in Chile in 2012, followed by a sugar tax in 2014, FOP labeling and warning signs in 2016, limited advertising and other restrictions. There was a net reduction of 6.4 calories per person per day in Chile after the FOP labels were implemented, she said.  

Response to Chile’s FOP labeling was more muted than expected, San Miguel said. Now Chile is cited as an article of proof for other countries seeking to do the same. Seven countries have mandated FOP labeling, and 11 others are planning to do so, with most preferring some type of warning signs for sugar, sodium and fat, San Miguel said. 

“The regulatory ratchet only goes in one direction,” San Miguel said, noting FOP labeling for added sugar was just the beginning.

Many consumer groups want more aggressive FOP labeling, Gaine said, including “High In” warning labels to draw attention to saturated fat, sodium and added sugars.