“Healthier” nutrition labels are in the FDA spotlight. Will they provide better customer service or prove a disservice? It depends on your perspective.

Notes the Washington Post, “The Food and Drug Administration announced new rules Wednesday for nutrition labels that can go on the front of food packages to indicate that they are ‘healthy.’…Under the proposal, manufacturers can label their products ‘healthy’ if they contain a meaningful amount of food from at least one of the food groups or subgroups (such as fruit, vegetable or dairy) recommended by the dietary guidelines. They must also adhere to specific limits for certain nutrients, such as saturated fat, sodium and added sugars.”

Controversy about customer service or lack thereof also is addressed in a subsequent Post article: “New food labels could help you make smarter choices. Or not…For decades, the federal government has tried a variety of gimmicks to get Americans to eat healthier. It is a worthy goal; diet-related illness is the top cause of death in the United States. Yet many federal efforts, such as the heavily criticized and now-defunct food pyramid, have not worked. The nation holds the highest number of obese adults in the world, and chronic diseases, such as diabetes, continue to exact a massive toll in treatment costs and suffering. Now the Biden administration is proposing a new strategy, rethinking the standards governing when food can be labeled ‘healthy’ and proposing new nutrition labels that would appear on the front of food boxes. Reforms such as these could help demystify food aisles for the large number of Americans whose grasp of healthy eating is rudimentary, or worse. Or they could just confuse people and invite controversy.”

Doing a better job of codifying current acceptable standards for good or bad nutrition, on its face, is a great idea to support consumers to make good food choices. However, given today’s information overload – leading to confusion – and an appalling lack of basic nutrition savvy nationwide, this well could be a double-edged sword as described in the Washington Post.

Way too many people buy into the latest fad-fueled pronouncements about what constitutes “healthy” and “unhealthy.” The federal government’s track record on nutrition disclosures is questionable. (Anyone remember the food pyramid that enthusiastically promoted pasta? I do, from back in the days of “carb loading” before running a marathon.)

And, it appears these new food labels will be based on current nutrition guidelines.

What may be a logical and perfectly healthy guideline for one person may be problematic for someone with a health condition. From celiac disease, dairy allergies and Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), to heart disease, cancer, arthritis, sleep disorders, and much more, one size does not fit all. Just as product manufacturers are well-advised to make the commitment to provide good advice, consumers must take the time to learn it and use it for their specific health needs.

It’s incumbent on each and every one of us to study, research, and define what is good and what isn’t for us as we are today. Individual decisions need to rely on specific factors. For example, diabetics are much less likely to tolerate carbs that non-diabetics might find perfectly acceptable (e.g., the amount and type of fruit consumed daily).

What’s the lesson for food product manufacturing labeling in all this? Take the time and expend the resources to provide solid, proven, in-depth information about nutrition that consumers can access via label QR code or Augmented Reality-based education. If consumers won’t take the time to read anything longer than they can absorb in three seconds, that’s on them.

But, make the effort to offer a complete, accurate, and clear picture of nutrition, based on the latest available reliable information (which is changing often as we learn more every day). And, err on the side of safe claims versus anything dubious being peddled just to sell products. (I know, this goes against marketing instincts to make grandiose claims; but, stellar customer service means doing the best for your customers – not your sales at the expense of good health.)

Hopefully the FDA will provide some valuable information to support their new food labels. However, don’t rely on that alone. Really make the effort to educate consumers, in hopes they will make decisions that are healthy for them going forward.

All of this, of course, takes into account that it isn’t your job as a product manufacturer to address the full spectrum of conditions necessitating dietary choices and modifications. But, setting the tone about the importance of becoming an educated consumer is well worth the effort.

Those traditionally unable or unwilling to study this vital area may learn a thing or two. And those making an investment in understanding the importance of good nutrition will look upon you favorably – hopefully with good reviews, ratings, and revenues to follow.


Mark Lusky is a marketing communications professional who has worked with Lightning Labels, an all-digital custom label printer in Denver, CO, USA, since 2008. Find Lightning Labels on Facebook for special offers and label printing news.