The Nutrition Label, A Design Masterpiece

The nutrition label fades into the background as a design object, yet it’s essential. We encounter it in the morning on a cereal box, we see it again on the back of our mid-morning snack and again and again throughout the day. It’s with us whether we like it or not, and even if we ignore it completely, its design and content have implications on what we eat (and don’t eat).

Before 1994 there was no standard for nutrition labeling on food. That’s right, only 16 years since we’ve been entrusted with the info-packed rectangle. Ever since starting my foyer into the world of food and design I’ve been taking closer note of all things food, including the nutrition label. I’ve begun to consider the nutrition facts label my shiny jewel in the dense waters of food buying. I can’t trust all of the jibber-jabber on the front of the package, but if you flip that baby over there is a whole space dedicated to the truth (or at least I hope).

Its content, and its form are not haphazard. The label is not just a list, it’s a design. The basic granola label above reveals that the design is organized by a series of horizontal lines, both heavy and light. The shapes (letters and lines) are mostly rigid and obviously planned in shape and placement. The clear composition and intentions exhibited in the nutrition facts label can be compared to works by the De Stijl artist Piet Mondrian. Composition with Yellow, Blue and Red (above) reveals a similar planned and organized use of lines and rigid forms on a white background.

There is no ambiguity between foreground and background in the design. Certain elements are heavier and could be perceived as being closer to the viewer or at least more important. Most often the label uses Helvetica, a typeface that has it’s own full length documentary. It’s utilitarian and modern Swiss forms lend themselves well to quietly communicating the labels data.

I have a lot to say about the nutrition label and the more I learn the more I see the nutrition label as a basic yet necessary tool. Future posts will explore it’s faults, social implications and more artistic merits. Think about it, how does the nutrition label play into your life?

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