Foodmakers Pledge to Fight Obesity With Clear Package Labels

Clear nutritional labels aimed at helping consumers combat obesity will appear next year on the products of some of the biggest U.S. food makers, two trade groups said.

Calorie content and health information will go on the front of packages in a “fact-based, simple and easy-to-use format,” the Food Marketing Institute and the Grocery Manufacturers Association said yesterday in a joint statement announcing the voluntary labeling system. The new labels will appear early next year, they said.