MANILA, PHILIPPINES – To get that energy boost, people need to consume food daily. While some prefer preparing something instant to keep up with their tasks throughout the day, they can often ignore nutrition facts and lose sight of what and how much they are actually putting into their bodies.
To address this issue, snacks leader Mondelēz International, in partnership with adobo Magazine, hosted the event “Think Tank for Effective Front-of-Pack Labels” on May 8, 2025, at Odd Cafe, Makati City. The event brought together key stakeholders to develop solutions for improving front-of-pack labels (FOPLs) in the Philippines, with a primary focus of helping address health issues like obesity and diet-related diseases.
To kick off the event, Food Industry Asia Chief Executive Officer Matt Kovac, who joined virtually, discussed the importance of front-of-pack labels in addressing health concerns through transparent product information. He also shared the different types of front-of-pack labels that are being used across Southeast Asia.
“The reason for front-of-pack labels is to try and address the challenges that we’ve got around increasing rates of obesity and diet-related diseases. Not one single intervention can make the complete difference, but labeling as well as other interventions that can be added or approached or adopted, will be able to help consumers understand nutrition content and make healthier food choices,” Matt said.
Additionally, he noted that FOPLs are essential for encouraging companies to reformulate their food products by reducing sugar, salt, and fat, while also promoting the addition of vitamins and minerals.
“It’s really important to tell consumers, and inform them about that. So not just to say what’s bad in the product, but to show what’s good too. And I think that from our perspective, if you can show both, it actually helps a little bit, nudging consumers to make more informed, better, healthier decisions for their purchasing decision of food products,” Matt added.
Improving FOPLs involves several critical factors. As Matt discussed, they need to be clear, visible, and inclusive. They should also be grounded in science and adaptable across different product categories. For consumers to easily understand what goes into their food, FOPLs should be simple and visible, utilizing color codes, symbols, and even star ratings. Additionally, consumer education is highly recommended to prevent misinterpretation and ensure that these labels serve their intended purpose effectively.
There are different types of FOPLs being used worldwide, including Guideline Daily Amount (GDA), Traffic Light/Nutrigrade, Health Star Rating, and Warning Labels.
Later on, Philippine Chamber of Food Manufacturers Executive Director Dr. Mario Capanzana emphasized that FOPLs should be based on scientific evidence and should reflect current nutritional challenges that different age groups face. Regarding consumer behavior, Mario mentioned a Food and Nutrition Research Institute survey which revealed that less than 40% of respondents read nutrition labels, with most consumers focusing on the expiry date and cost rather than the product’s nutritional content.
“If we are looking at the front-of-pack label, which aims to provide good guidance to the consumer of what’s in the packet, it should be simple and easily understood, but it should be science-based and objective,” Mario noted.
Philippine Stakeholders for Nutrition and Dietetics (PSND), Inc. Vice President Alvin Manalansan expressed similar sentiments, saying, “Basically, what we want is evidence-based, science-based information that we can easily understand. This should be understandable by the general public, whether you’re located in the urban, rural area or anywhere, and by consumers with different levels of comprehension and education.”
FOPLs should not only be easily understandable, but they should also be communicated effectively to the public. As Mario pointed out, the impact of these labels would be limited without proper and widespread education and promotion. Citing a previous example, he mentioned the Sangkap Pinoy campaign, which successfully raised awareness by leveraging television ads and celebrity endorsements.
Later on, the key stakeholders were divided into two groups to discuss and propose which type of FOPL would be most suitable for the Philippines.
Although the first group agreed that the Traffic Light/Nutrigrade FOPL, as well as other types, could be effective, Cristina Sison, ex officio of PSND, noted that any label must be accompanied by a strong communication strategy or promotional campaign to get the message across. For the labels to be effective and sustainable, they need to be monitored and their impact must be measured over time.
For the second group, Dentsu Creative Philippines Creative Director Wacky Torres emphasized the importance of creating FOPLs that encourage the right behavior, not just provide basic information. He also noted that labels should nudge consumers to make better decisions. Although he acknowledged the challenges, Wacky stressed the need for labels that are tailored to local consumer needs.
NSDesign Senior Graphic Designer Janelle Pascual noted that the second group considered the Traffic Light/Nutrigrade FOPLs because it’s universally understood as people already associate something with colors—green for good, while red for something alarming.
In the end, the success of FOPLs doesn’t just depend on which design to use, but also on how well the message is delivered, measured, and sustained across consumers. It’s not just about informing buyers about the food products they purchase and consume, but also about reaching out and inspiring them to make better and healthier choices.
