Thirty years after the Nutrition Facts label transformed how Americans shop for and select snacks and bakery items, a new survey from the International Food Information Council (IFIC) finds that label-reading is more routine than ever—and consumers have a desire for balance when it comes to what they want to see on the front of the package.  

The IFIC Spotlight Survey: Americans’ Perceptions of Nutrition Labels arrives at a pivotal moment, the org says. Back in January 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed its Nutrition Info Box front-of-package (FOP) label framework, which they said would help consumers quickly and easily identify how foods and beverages can fit into a healthy diet. IFIC’s findings show that Americans look for a range of information on food and beverage packaging and regularly consult FOP labels to guide their decisions. 

“Americans aren’t passive about nutrition information; we see they are actively engaging with label information while grocery shopping. What this research tells us is that they want information that helps them make a complete decision, not just to limit or avoid something. That’s a meaningful signal for anyone shaping the future of food labels,” says IFIC president and CEO Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, MS, RDN.

Seeking out nutrition information

The survey found that 79% of Americans check nutrition or ingredient information on packaging at least sometimes while grocery shopping. Nearly half (47%) do so always or often. Confidence is similarly high: 86% say they feel at least somewhat confident interpreting nutrition information on food and beverage labels.  

And when it comes to what they’re looking for, Americans prioritize a mix of nutrients to limit and nutrients to encourage. Calories top the list (45%), followed closely by total sugars (44%), protein (42%), sodium (41%), and added sugars (39%). The sheer breadth of that list, spanning both nutrients to limit and encourage, is, itself, a data point about how consumers approach their personal health, IFIC notes.

Consumers want balance on the front of the package

While front-of-package (FOP) labeling is not mandatory in the U.S., several voluntary systems exist. The nutrition information currently on the front of food and beverage packaging shapes purchase decisions in the U.S.: 80% of Americans say FOP nutrition information influences what they buy at least sometimes. But what type of FOP information would be most helpful to Americans, IFIC posits? What to limit, or what to encourage? 

The answer is: both. Four in 10 Americans (41%) say the most helpful FOP labeling would include nutrients to encourage alongside dietary components to limit—more than the percentage who prefer either approach alone. By comparison, 26% prefer guidance focused solely on what to limit and 16% prefer guidance focused only on what to encourage. This preference for a balanced approach is consistent with IFIC’s May 2024 FOP Nutrition Labeling research. 

“The FDA’s attention to front-of-package nutrition labeling is an important next step in food labeling. What our data adds to the policy discussion is the consumer voice that says: Help us see the big picture of what’s in our food, both positive and negative nutrients. That balance matters,” says Kris Sollid, RD, IFIC senior director, consumer insights and research.

What a balanced FOP approach can look like

One existing FOP system that reportedly uses a big picture philosophy is Facts Up Front, a voluntary industry nutrition labeling framework that displays calories, saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars, with flexibility to include up to two beneficial nutrients that meet FDA “good source” criteria.  

Among Americans who engage with nutrition information while shopping, Facts Up Front has achieved broad visibility. More than nine in ten (92%) are familiar with Facts Up Front, and among those who are familiar and actively check labels, nearly nine in ten (88%) report using it to guide purchase decisions, with 58% doing so often or always.  

“As federal nutrition labeling policy continues to evolve, IFIC research offers a perspective to inform a path forward regarding the information that consumers value most,” adds Reinhardt Kapsak. “The American public is increasingly engaged in food- and nutrition-related matters. Front-of-package guidance makes nutrition information more accessible and can have a big public health impact if it motivates healthier choices.”  

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