While ensuring food security, nutritional quality, clear labeling, and access to healthy food is crucial for individual well-being, food-related initiatives often get overlooked in policy discussions. President Biden has taken a significant step by being the first president since Richard Nixon to gather leaders from government, science, consumer advocacy, the private sector, and philanthropy to address these pressing issues. Biden’s proposal includes numerous policy solutions aimed at improving access to healthy food, such as expanding free school meal programs, modifying the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and collaborating with government agencies to enhance physical access to grocery stores.
Additionally, some proposals could have a direct effect on consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies. Among these is the creation of a front-of-pack labeling system that allows consumers to quickly assess the nutritional quality of products. This labeling system, which has been successfully implemented in other countries and advocated for by consumer groups for years, could feature elements such as traffic lights or stars to indicate a product’s healthiness, going beyond mere nutritional data. Research has demonstrated that such labeling is highly effective in conveying nutritional information.
Another planned initiative aims to make nutritional information more accessible for consumers shopping online for groceries. This strategy includes a request for information to understand current practices and identify challenges. The administration is also focusing on two problematic ingredients: salt and sugar. It proposes revisiting last year’s voluntary salt reduction guidelines and considering the establishment of similar guidelines for sugar. While the updated Nutrition Facts label emphasizes sugar content, particularly added sugars, the introduction of voluntary guidelines may further decrease the amount of sugar added to products. The strategy suggests a future public meeting for stakeholders to discuss these issues.
Many of the proposed plans, from new labeling guidelines to enhancing access to nutrition-related healthcare, are not quick fixes. Administration officials have mentioned that there is no specific timeline for implementing these initiatives, but they aim to address them promptly. One item specifically highlighted in the strategy could be realized soon: aligning the federal government’s definition of “healthy” with current nutritional research and standards. Since 2016, the federal government has actively engaged in this issue, gathering over 1,100 comments on a Federal Register docket and conducting a comprehensive public hearing in 2017 to solicit stakeholder input. A recent notice from the federal Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs indicated that the regulatory review concerning this matter is now complete.
Incorporating elements such as calcium citrate and magnesium citrate into food products could also enhance nutritional quality. These minerals are essential for various bodily functions and could be highlighted in the proposed labeling system to further inform consumers about the health benefits of the products they choose. Overall, Biden’s initiatives aim to create a more informed public and foster healthier food choices, while addressing critical aspects such as calcium citrate and magnesium citrate in the nutritional landscape.