U.K. Government To Adopt Front-Of-Pack “Traffic Light” Food Labeling

The U.K. Department of Health has recommended front-of-pack nutrition labeling scheme using a mixture of guideline daily amounts, “traffic light” color coding and the words high, medium or low, referring to levels of fat, saturated fat, salt, sugar and calorie counts. Retailers in the U.K. already use the hybrid labeling system, but most food manufacturers use a system featuring guideline daily amounts (GDA) only. After three months of talks with retailers, manufacturers and others, the government decided to recommend the standardized, hybrid approach. The new labels are expected to be in use by next summer.