Reform food labels now!

Reform Food Labels Now!

The food label--where consumer meets manufacturer in the struggle to find out what's in what we eat.

As you might imagine, the consumer doesn't have much of a chance.

To evaluate a product we need to know how much of what is in it, and whether that's a little or a lot. But food companies will do--and spend--just about anything to keep bad news from us.

For the past eight years that hasn't been too difficult. After all, under the Reagan administration the government hasn't exactly been in what you'd call a regulatory frenzy.

Of course, that suits many food manufacturers just fine. Do you think it's an accident that so many labels are impossible to read, or obscure or omit important information, or make unsubstantiated (or deceptive) ingredient or nutrition claims?

It's time we demand that labels be honest with us.

CSPI has declared 1989 "Year of the Food Label." We have organized a coalition of health and consumer groups that is calling for legislation to require accurate--and honest--ingredient and nutrition information on labels.

Carole Sugarman of The Washington Post recently asked us to design labels for a hypothetical macaroni & cheese product.

Here's what we came up with. We welcome your comments and suggestions.