Posted Jan 28, 2011
A coalition of food and beverage manufacturers and retailers have announced a plan to help consumers identify healthier choices in the grocery aisle.
Called “Nutrition Keys,” the program led by the Grocery Manufacturers Association will place pertinent calorie, fat, sodium and sugar information on the front of packages.
Developed in response to a request from first lady Michelle Obama nearly a year ago, it also will call out products that contain under-consumed nutrients, including potassium, fiber or vitamin C.
The Nutrition Keys logo will appear on products deemed to fit within a “balanced and healthy diet as part of the federal government’s daily dietary advice.”
Front-of-pack labels have become important in recent years, as experts acknowledge that few shoppers read the information panels on the back of foods.
“We share first lady Michelle Obama’s goal of solving childhood obesity within a generation,” Pamela G. Bailey, chief executive of the Grocery Manufacturers Association, said in a statement. “Food and beverage companies have a strong track record of providing consumers with the products, tools and information they need to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle, and this program represents a significant milestone in our ongoing effort to help consumers construct a healthy diet.”
The program’s announcement comes a week before the Food and Drug Administration is set to launch an updated set of dietary guidelines, which are expected to call for increased consumption of whole grains.
Last week Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart Stores Inc. announced, with Obama on hand, that the chain would work to make healthy eating more affordable, build supercenters in food deserts and improve the health profile of its private-label products. Wal-Mart is also developing a front-of-pack labeling system.
Shoppers can expect to see the first products with the Nutrition Keys logo in grocery stores within a few months. The number of products carrying the logo is expected to grow over the year. To build awareness of the program, the association is mounting a $50 million advertising, public relations and in-store marketing campaign aimed at the family’s primary shopper.
The future of this program seems uncertain from the start, as the FDA shuttered another industry-led front-of-pack program called “Smart Choices” in late 2009. At the time, the FDA was said to be developing a front-of-pack labeling system.
The Grocery Manufacturers Association did not immediately respond to a request for comment.