WHO recently proposed front-of-pack nutrition labeling for food, in a context where Vietnam only requires businesses to print ingredient tables on the back of product packaging. This placement, with its small, hard-to-read font, makes it difficult for consumers to find information on unhealthy levels of salt, sugar, or fat when shopping.

A WHO Vietnam representative notes that shoppers often have only a few seconds to compare products in a supermarket. However, nutrition information is primarily on the back of packaging, presented as data tables with various texts and units.

To determine if a product is high in sugar, sodium (salt), or fat, consumers must locate the correct information, read the content, and sometimes convert it to serving sizes. This process is not simple for those without nutritional knowledge or who are shopping in a hurry.

Therefore, WHO recommends front-of-pack labeling (FOPL) for pre-packaged foods. FOPL involves placing important nutrition information in the most visible position on the packaging. Depending on the model, labels can use colors, symbols, or text warnings.

In a warning model, products with high levels of nutrients to limit can be identified by phrases such as "high in sugar", "high in sodium", "high in saturated fat", "high in total fat", or "high in trans fat". This labeling method prevents shoppers from having to calculate values from a long data table. Additionally, this information provides a visual cue, allowing them to quickly understand the product's nutritional profile and make informed decisions before purchasing.

According to WHO, this labeling serves as a tool to support consumer choice, not to dictate which products should be bought or consumed.

Consumers read product labels while shopping at a supermarket in TP HCM. *Photo: Thanh Tung*

Vietnam faces a significant burden from non-communicable diseases. WHO and the Ministry of Health report that approximately 80% of deaths in Vietnam are linked to non-communicable diseases, with about 44% occurring before age 70. These diseases have various causes, including several diet-related risk factors that can be prevented or managed.

Associate Professor, Doctor Truong Tuyet Mai, Deputy Director of the National Institute of Nutrition (Ministry of Health), states that excessive consumption of salt, free sugars, saturated fats, and trans fats is linked to overweight, obesity, high blood pressure, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes. Therefore, helping people quickly identify products high in these ingredients is a solution to reduce non-communicable disease risk factors.

A WHO representative noted that FOPL not only targets consumer behavior during shopping but also prompts businesses to adjust their formulations to reduce ingredients that would trigger a warning label.

In Chile, after implementing a black symbol warning system, studies observed reduced sales of product categories high in sugar, sodium, or saturated fat. Peru's warning system was introduced in 2019. Assessments there indicate a trend of businesses improving formulations and a decrease in the proportion of products requiring warning labels in subsequent years.

WHO recommends that countries establish unified, mandatory FOPL systems, supervised by state regulatory bodies.

Master Le Thi Thu Ha, from the University of Public Health, suggests that warning labels are not intended to "ban" any food type. The goal is to bring crucial information closer to the shopper's attention. At the market level, this policy incentivizes businesses to reduce sugar, salt, or fat in their products.

Le Nga