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PepsiCo's Global Labeling Policy

PepsiCo complies with all relevant labeling laws and regulations in all markets in which our products are sold. As we work to provide consumers with a range of Positive Choices, we aim to have a consistent approach to nutritional labeling across the world, based on the following:

• On the side or back of our packages (BOP label) and taking account of local legislation, PepsiCo provides nutrition information per serving, per portion and/or per 100 grams of energy (as Calories, kilocalories, or kilojoules) and on key nutrients—protein, carbohydrates, total sugars, total fat, saturated fat and sodium.

Please see our Global Labeling Policy for more information.

Front-of-pack labeling

Consumers, governments and other stakeholders are increasingly recommending interpretative front-of-pack (FOP) labeling that helps provide consumers with nutrition information at a glance and enables quick purchasing and consumption decisions.

In practice, local legislation requires a wide variety of FOP labels in different countries. These include labels calling out a positive nutritional profile and others using color-coded traffic light labeling and warning signs. The proliferation of labeling schemes makes it challenging for PepsiCo to use a single global FOP labelling system.

PepsiCo supports labeling that:

• Is science-based;
• Reflects ongoing reformulations by companies and rewards those that offer a range of options including reduced added sugars, saturated fats and sodium;
• Discourages or does not add to a proliferation of labeling schemes around the world; and
• Helps consumers make informed choices.

Health and nutrition claims

PepsiCo uses nutrition and health claims on-pack and through other marketing channels to provide consumers with relevant nutrition or product information to enable informed choices.  If we make a health or nutrition claim, or when we add a nutrient for fortification purposes, we provide information in accordance with local regulations or guidelines and where those do not exist, we use, at a minimum, those set out by Codex (including Codex CAC/GL 23-1997 Guidelines for Use of Nutrition and Health Claims and CAC/GL 9-1987 General Principles for Addition of Essential Nutrients to Foods). Our internal guidance on fortification refers to the World Health Organization/Food and Agriculture Organization Guidelines on food fortification with micronutrients (2006) where appropriate.

Substantiation of health and nutrition claims

PepsiCo’s Global Standards for Health and Nutrient Claims ensure a global, consistent approach to substantiate claims in a systematic, comprehensive and transparent manner. The standards require that claims are:

• Truthful and not misleading;
• Verifiable, substantiated and accurate;
• Clear and specific;
• Consistent with internal PepsiCo brand guardrails; and
• Compliant with local regulations.

Claims may also need approval from a regional PepsiCo Claims Council (PCC). PCCs are comprised of a cross-functional team with representation from Legal, Regulatory Affairs and Nutrition Sciences departments as well as others who may be required on an ad hoc basis. The first PCC was established in the U.S. and regional PCCs have since been set up in all of our sectors. We believe this process helps ensure that claims are properly substantiated regardless of whether local laws regarding health claims are in place.

Progress

PepsiCo follows local nutrition labeling regulations in all markets where our products are sold. In terms of compliance with our internal policy, across our top 23 markets:

• We include the energy and nutrient content on BOP approximately 97% of the time.
• We included energy on the FOP label approximately 80% of the time.¹

In 2021, PepsiCo announced it would join Foundation Earth’s industry advisory board, which is looking to establish clarity on methodologies for environmental labeling. The project is aimed at assessing the ability of different labeling schemes to promote more sustainable buying choices for consumers, as well as driving environmental progress for food producers. As we explore opportunities in environmental labeling, we will:

• Continue aiming to drive positive outcomes through our brands globally, with initiatives activated locally staying true to the challenges and opportunities in each of the markets;
• Aim to adopt the environmental labeling scheme(s) which comply with local regulations and have a broad, industry-wide adoption; and
• Actively seek to engage and shape external environmental labeling developments, following a set of principles and our emerging policy position.

What's next?

PepsiCo will continue aiming to ensure our labels provide consumers with easy-to-understand information about the nutritional content of our products and complying with labeling requirements wherever our products are sold. As we strive to reach our pep+ (PepsiCo Positive) goals, we are also exploring ways to empower consumers with transparent environmental information about our key products.