After its launch at the end of last year in the UK, the voluntary traffic light labeling system seemed to be a success. The labels use an easy-to-read, color-coded system to indicate that a product has a high, low or medium level of fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt. The premise behind the label is that it eliminates the time and hassle of label-reading, not to mention the stigma of "diet" foods, or being on a diet, which is a concern to some. Consumers learn that greens are good for everyday and the reds are fine once in a while.

Now, Australia is probably going to give the labels a go. They are hoping that, just like in Britain, consumers will opt for healthier foods over less healthy choices with more regularity. Surveys show that 9 out of 10 consumer find the system clear and easy to use, enabling 97% of consumers to make the better nutritional choice when comparing foods with the labels.

In the meantime, the British government is considering making the labeling system mandatory in the hopes of helping consumers further. Could the US be the next country to try the system?

Yesterday, we found out that a lot of people don't know what they're looking for when they read a nutrition label. The Food and Drug Administration, which sets the basic nutritional standards and defines what should be on the label, has a website that is set up to help shoppers understand and use the information on the label more effectively. Their guide to reading a nutrition label covers serving size, calorie content and nutrients, as you can see outlined above in an image from the site. They do a comprehensive job, covering the recommended daily minimums and maximums for foods, fats, calories and vitamins, as well as just about any other question that you could have about the nutritional facts.

Of course, it's also helpful to read the ingredients list to learn what exactly the food consists of, but it's important for a health-conscious shopper to know how to take advantage of the nutritional summary on the packaging. Check out the whole guide - you never know when you might learn something new!

The traffic light system is a voluntary food labeling system devised by the British Food Standards Agency to denote with a single glance the levels of fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt in products. While not necessarily intended to let consumers know that the product is health food, it does give them a very fast, clear idea of what they are about to eat. Several supermarkets, including Waitrose and Sainsburys have adopted the program with surprising results: sales of unhealthy foods have dropped and healthier foods have increased.

Why is this working when so many other awareness campaigns have failed in the past, or enjoyed only a very limited success? It seems to be the fact that the labels are hard to ignore. Or rather, it is that they take no effort to read. A consumer doesn't have to spend time trying to decipher a nutritional label or wonder what "48% less fat!" really refers to. They don't have to draw attention to the fact that they want to know the nutritional information, which can be embarrassing for some shoppers.