Health Secretary Alan Johnson will announce the government's nutrition labelling plans later today, as part of a wider-reaching obesity strategy.
The promise of a "single, simple and effective" food labelling system is designed to provide consumers with consistent information, following concerns that the three different labelling schemes in use today could be leading to confusion.
Johnson, who will be addressing Parliament this afternoon, is expected to say: "We know that clear, simple front of pack labelling helps consumers make healthier choices and make a positive contribution to a healthy diet which is essential if we are to turn the tide on rising levels of obesity."
"That is why I am determined that we must see the adoption of a single labelling system based on the best available evidence."
The main types of front-of-pack nutrition labels currently used in the UK are the Food Standard Agency's (FSA) traffic light scheme, a monochrome Guideline Daily Amounts (GDAs) system, and traffic light colour-coded GDAs.
The FSA has commissioned an independent evaluation of existing food labels, due to be completed later this year.
According to Public Health Minister, Dawn Primarolo, who backs the review, the research will go further to show the most effective way of labelling foods, and will be crucial in making the case for a single labelling system.
"We are working closely with industry on labelling, and hope that they will go further and introduce the best way of labelling in line with what this research recommends," she said.
Johnson will say later today: "Once that evaluation is complete, I want to see our major producers and retailers agree with the Food Standards Agency on a single labelling system, easy to understand and best able to support all of us in making informed, healthy choices about the food we eat."
"This is a real change which will put the consumer first in our efforts to improve health and tackle obesity."
Further details on the government's announcement were not available prior to publication. However, the Department of Health told FoodNavigator.com that the full obesity strategy will be available on its website after Johnson's address today.
