Caffeine Content Labeling: A Prudent Public Health Policy?

Abstract

Kole and Barnhill (2013) have argued that all products containing added caffeine should be required to include caffeine quantity on their labels, which might allow consumers to regulate their intake of caffeine. For several reasons, we think that this would be a misguided policy. First, major dietary sources (i.e., coffee, tea, and chocolate) of caffeine would be exempt from such a policy, as they naturally contain caffeine. Second, there is ample evidence from other foods and beverages containing pharmacologically active compounds (e.g., alcoholic beverages) that simple content labeling has only a very moderate effect on consumer behavior (if any at all). Therefore, policy measures guided to restrict caffeine intake (e.g., by providing maximum content levels in beverages) might be a more prudent policy than labeling requirements.