Evaluation Planning and Tools for Front of Package Nutrition Labeling. Final Report

Front-of-package (FOP) nutrition labeling systems are tools that can help consumers choose healthy diets consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. It is expected that consumers’ use of nutrition information when making food purchasing decisions will improve their dietary choices and result in their reduced risk of obesity and chronic diseases. FDA would like to monitor and evaluate existing and future FOP symbols to assess the extent of their adoption by manufacturers and retailers; the number and types of products on which symbols appear; whether consumers notice, understand, and use FOP symbols; and potential product reformulation resulting from inclusion of FOP symbols on products. RTI International used these goals as the basis for developing evaluation questions and study options that can guide FDA’s policy planning efforts.