The UK government requires all pre-packed food to list nutritional information on the packaging.
Food Labels
All pre-packed food is required to include nutritional information per 100g or 100ml.
- energy (in kJ and kcal)
- fat (in g)
- saturates (saturated fat in g)
- carbohydrate (in g)
- sugars (in g)
- protein (in g)
- salt (in g)
- plus the amount of any nutrient for which a nutrition or health claim has been made
You may also see amounts per serving or per portion, but this will be in addition to the 100g or 100ml information. (Please note the manufacturer’s idea of a “serving” or “portion” may not be the same as yours.)
Front Labelling
Many companies are using traffic light notices on the front of packaging to highlight the nutritional facts about their product.
Daily Values for adults
You’ll see labels refering to “daily intake” or “daily allowance”. In the UK these numbers refer to the following
- Energy: 8,400kJ/2,000kcal
- Total fat: less than 70g
- Saturates: less than 20g
- Carbohydrate: 260g
- Total sugars: 90g
- Protein: 50g
- Salt: less than 6g
Total sugars includes sugars from milk, fruit and vegetables, as well as any added sugar.
Understanding the Numbers
Total fat
- High: more than 17.5g of fat per 100g
- Low: 3g of fat or less per 100g
Saturated fat
- High: more than 5g of saturated fat per 100g
- Low: 1.5g of saturated fat or less per 100g
Sugars
- High: more than 22.5g of total sugars per 100g
- Low: 5g of total sugars or less per 100g
Salt
- High: more than 1.5g of salt per 100g (or 0.6g sodium)
- Low: 0.3g of salt or less per 100g (or 0.1g sodium)
For example, if you’re trying to cut down on saturated fat, eat fewer foods that have more than 5g of saturated fat per 100g.