Food packages across the U.S. can carry sodium claims under long-standing FDA labeling rules that set fixed thresholds for phrases like “low sodium” and “reduced sodium.” On soup cans and cartons from brands such as Campbell’s and Progresso, that wording can look clearer than it really is once serving size, total servings, and comparison labels are factored in.
FDA rules make the claim narrower than shoppers may think
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration defines “low sodium” as 140 milligrams of sodium or less per reference amount customarily consumed, or per labeled serving in some products, under federal nutrition labeling rules. That means the claim is tied to a specific serving, not automatically to the full can, bowl, or package a shopper may actually eat.
The FDA also allows “very low sodium” at 35 milligrams or less per serving and “reduced sodium” when a product has at least 25 percent less sodium than a comparable reference food. In plain terms, “reduced sodium” does not mean the food is low in sodium overall. A soup can still carry a sodium-related claim while remaining relatively salty in the amount many people eat at one time.
The practical impact shows up in the can or carton in your kitchen
For shoppers in states from California to New York, the issue is less about one recall or one city and more about how the Nutrition Facts panel is read. A 2023 or 2024 soup package may list 2 servings per container, which means a front-of-pack claim can apply to one serving while the full container delivers double that sodium.
Campbell’s and General Mills, which sells Progresso, list sodium amounts per serving on package labels, while total intake depends on how much is eaten. The companies have not announced any labeling change tied specifically to this issue. What is not known on many shelves is how often consumers treat a full can as 1 meal even when the label counts it as 2 servings.
Why the label gap exists, and what it means at checkout
The current system exists because FDA nutrient-content claims were built around standardized serving rules, not around how every person uses every package. Public health guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says high sodium intake is linked to higher blood pressure risk, and the federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting sodium to less than 2,300 milligrams per day for people age 14 and older.
For customers, that means the most useful number is often the total sodium actually eaten, not the claim on the front. If a soup says “low sodium,” the statement may be legally accurate under FDA rules while still sounding broader than the package delivers in real life. As of June 28, 2025, the FDA’s nutrient-content claim framework remains in place nationwide.
