A preview of this full-text is provided by Wiley.
Content available from Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety
This content is subject to copyright. Terms and conditions apply.
Received: 30 April 2022 Revised: 13 October 2022 Accepted: 15 November 2022
DOI: 10.1111/1541-4337.13085
COMPREENSIVE REVIEWS IN FOOD SCIENCE AND FOOD SAFETY
Front-of-package nutrition labeling as a driver for healthier
food choices: Lessons learned and future perspectives
Mariana Frazão Batista1,2Joana Pereira de Carvalho-Ferreira3,4
Diogo Thimoteo da Cunha4Veridiana Vera De Rosso2
1Graduate Program in Nutrition, Federal
University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), São
Paulo, Brazil
2Nutrition and Food Service Research
Center, Federal University of São Paulo
(UNIFESP), Santos, Brazil
3Department of Biosciences, Federal
University of São Paulo (UNIFESP),
Santos, Brazil
4School of Applied Sciences, State
University of Campinas (UNICAMP),
Limeira, Brazil
Correspondence
Veridiana Vera de Rosso, Nutrition and
Food Service Research Center,
Universidade Federal de São Paulo
(UNIFESP), Rua Silva Jardim 136, Santos,
Postal Code 11015–020, Santos, Brazil.
Email: veridiana.rosso@unifesp.br
Funding information
Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento
Científico e Tecnológico, Grant/Award
Numbers: 310450/2021-7, 315378/2021-2,
130474/2020-7
Abstract
This work aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the use of front-of-
package nutritional labeling (FOPL), identify and characterize the major existing
FOPL systems, examine the impact of FOPL systems on consumer behavior, and
discuss future perspectives. The searched databases were PubMed, Scopus, and
Web of Science, and papers in English, Portuguese, Spanish, and French were
considered. The integrative review method was used, comprising 68 papers. The
FOPL system from more than 47 countries from North America, South Amer-
ica, Africa, Europe, Australia, and Asia was included in this study. The two main
ways to characterize FOPL are the level of interpretation and the type of infor-
mation provided. Interpretive schemes (such as warning labels, multiple traffic
lights, and Nutri-Score) appear to lead to better consumer understanding and
support healthier food purchases. However, due to the differences among the
results and the specificity of the contexts in which they are used, it is impossible
to define one FOPL interpretation scheme superior to the others. Some poten-
tial factors that influence the effectiveness of FOPL on consumer attitudes have
been identified, such as food taste, as a major intrinsic factor. Extrinsic factors,
such as price, food category, cultural diversity, politics, and economics, were also
relevant. The lack of availability of similar alternatives, lack of understanding
of the importance of FOPL, and lower levels of income and education were also
some cognitive and social aspects impairing FOPL effectiveness. Prospects for
the United States, Europe, Brazil, Colombia, and Argentina were discussed.
KEYWORDS
consumer, eating behavior, health, nutrition labeling, packaged foods
1 INTRODUCTION
Nutrition labeling is a strategy developed to inform con-
sumers about the nutritional properties of packaged foods
(Codex Alimentarius, 2017). Since the beginning of the
21st century, in parallel with the global increase in non-
communicable diseases (NCDs), the Food and Agricul-
ture Organization of the United Nations, governments,
and nongovernmental organizations have shown a grow-
ing interest in nutrition labeling, which is recognized
as a far-reaching measure to easily inform consumers
and promote healthier food choices (FAO, 2014;Kanter
et al., 2018;WHO,2004, 2013,2014, 2017,2019;WHO-
EU, 2016). In this sense, one can observe innovative and
Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf. 2023;22:535–586. © 2022 Institute of Food Technologists R
.535wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/crf3