Nutrition, Alcohol, and Environmental Impact Labels Must Protect Public Interests, Not Market Harmful Foods

Why Nutrition, Alcohol, and Environmental Labels Matter

Since 2016, a United Nations–mandated body responsible for setting international food trade standards has been negotiating global guidelines to help governments better inform consumers and reduce diet-related disease. These discussions focus on front-of-pack nutrition labelling (FOPNL) and increasingly include alcohol warning labels and environmental impact labelling.

International public interest groups urge that these standards prioritize public health, environmental sustainability, and consumer protection, rather than facilitating the marketing of foods and beverages that harm people and the planet.

The Role of the Codex Committee on Food Labelling (CCFL)

The Codex Committee on Food Labelling (CCFL) develops international standards that, while formally voluntary, function in practice as presumptive ceiling standards under global trade rules.

• Countries that exceed Codex standards may be required to provide additional scientific justification

• Such justifications can be challenged by trading partners

• As a result, Codex standards significantly influence national policy space

This makes Codex negotiations critically important for public health, alcohol regulation, and environmental protection.

Global Health and Environmental Impacts of Food and Alcohol Consumption

Diet-Related Disease Burden

According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) Global Burden of Disease study:

• Diets high in sodium, saturated and trans fats, added sugars, processed and red meat

• And low in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and polyunsaturated fats

were estimated to cause:

• 8 million deaths worldwide in 2019

• 188 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs)

Alcohol-Related Harm

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that:

• Excess alcohol consumption causes approximately 3 million deaths annually

• Alcohol is associated with more than 200 diseases and injuries, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and mental health disorders

Young people are disproportionately affected, with alcohol accounting for:

• 19% of deaths among ages 15–19

• 23.3% of deaths among ages 20–24

Food Systems and Climate Change

According to the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC):

• 21–37% of global greenhouse gas emissions are attributable to food systems

• Climate change poses severe risks to food security and nutrition

Global Approaches to Front-of-Pack Nutrition Labelling (FOPNL)

Governments worldwide are experimenting with diverse front-of-pack nutrition labelling systems, including:

Warning Label Systems

• Chile’s black “stop sign” warning labels

  • Adapted by Peru, Uruguay, Israel, and Mexico

• Designed to alert consumers to high levels of sodium, sugar, and unhealthy fats

Interpretive Rating Systems

• United Kingdom Traffic Light Labels

• Australia’s Health Star Rating (½ to 5 stars)

• France’s Nutri-Score (A to E)

  • Now voluntarily adopted in multiple European countries

Evidence increasingly supports the effectiveness of these systems, though no single model fits all populations or contexts, particularly in low-income settings with undernutrition challenges.

Trade Pressure and Policy Interference

Before Codex negotiations began in 2016:

• The United States, the European Union, and Canada used diplomatic channels to pressure early adopters of FOPNL

• Countries targeted included Chile, Peru, Indonesia, and Thailand

Within Europe, even voluntary measures such as the UK’s traffic light system faced legal challenges under trade law.

Alcohol Labelling: A Public Health Imperative

Many countries already:

• Prohibit alcohol sales entirely, or

• Require disclosure of alcohol by volume and health risks

Evidence shows that health literacy around alcohol risks remains dangerously low, despite alcohol being a leading contributor to:

• Cancer (29% of alcohol-attributable deaths in Europe)

• Liver cirrhosis, cardiovascular disease, injuries, and tuberculosis

There is no known safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) can occur at any stage of gestation.

Public Interest Recommendations to the Codex Committee on Food Labelling

Building on a joint statement made at the 2019 pre-COVID Codex session, public interest groups call for the following reforms:

1. Mandatory Nutrition, Alcohol, and Environmental Labelling

Voluntary labelling has consistently failed due to strong commercial incentives to omit or distort information. Mandatory labelling is essential to ensure accuracy and consumer protection.

2. Strong Conflict-of-Interest Safeguards

Food and alcohol corporations (and the organizations or researchers they fund) should not serve on advisory bodies responsible for developing health or environmental labelling standards.

3. Protect Policy Innovation and Flexibility

Codex guidance must enable, not constrain, national innovation in evidence-based labelling approaches.

4. Prevent the “Halo Effect” on Risky Products

Governments must retain authority to:

• Prohibit positive endorsements on harmful products

• Prevent misleading health or sustainability claims on alcohol and breast-milk substitutes

5. Establish Global Guidance for Environmental Impact Labelling

Codex should initiate a process for mandatory eco-labelling, similar to nutrition labelling, to support:

• Lower greenhouse gas emissions

• Reduced pesticide and water use

• Climate-resilient food systems

Clear international guidance would help prevent the misuse of trade rules to block legitimate environmental action.

6. Harmonized Alcohol Health Warning Labels

Standardized alcohol labelling would:

• Improve health literacy

• Increase awareness of cancer and pregnancy risks

• Reduce alcohol-related harm and public health costs

Warnings against alcohol use during pregnancy or while trying to conceive are particularly urgent to prevent FASDs.

Codex Negotiations: Who Participates and Why It Matters

Typically, approximately 250 representatives attend CCFL negotiations, including:

• Delegates from 60 national governments

• Dozens of food and alcohol industry associations

• A small number of officially recognized health and consumer organizations

The Government of Canada, which has hosted and chaired CCFL since the 1960s, hosted the 2021 virtual meeting.

Codex Standards Must Serve People and the Planet

Nutrition, alcohol, and environmental impact labels are not marketing tools; they are public health and environmental safeguards. Codex standards must protect governments’ ability to act in the public interest and ensure that consumers receive clear, accurate, and meaningful information about the products they consume.