Food Labels

What You'll Find on a UK Food Label:

1. Nutrition Information Table

Usually shown per 100g/ml and per portion. It includes:

• Energy (in kilojoules [kJ] and kilocalories [kcal])

• Fat

  • of which saturates

• Carbohydrate

  • of which sugars

• Protein

• Salt

2. Traffic Light Colour System

Found on the front of the pack, this shows at-a-glance levels of key nutrients:

Example (like in the chart above):

3. Ingredients List

• Ingredients are listed from most to least by weight.

• Watch for sugar listed in many forms: glucose, fructose, syrup, etc.

• Helpful for spotting additives or allergens

4. RDA / RI – What Do They Mean?

• RDA = Recommended Daily Allowance (older term)

• RI = Reference Intake (current UK term)

This shows you how much of each nutrient you need in a day, based on an average adult.

Typical RI values (for an adult):

• Energy: 2000 kcal

• Total fat: 70g

• Saturates: 20g

• Sugars: 90g

• Salt: 6g

On packaging, you’ll see something like:

"Sugars: 15g – 17% of your daily intake"

This helps you understand how much of your daily allowance that food uses up.

Key Tips for Reading Labels

Check the portion size – sometimes “1 serving” is unrealistically small
Watch the reds – especially in snacks and processed foods
Look for short ingredient lists – fewer, whole ingredients are best
Compare products – even similar items (like yogurts) can vary widely

Colour What It Means

• Green Low – healthier choice

• Amber Medium – okay in moderation

• Red High – limit intake when possible

Nutrient Per 100g Colour

• Fat 10g Amber

• Saturates 3g Red

• Sugars 15g Red

• Salt 0.8g Amber

These colours are shown for:

• Fat

• Saturates (saturated fat)

• Sugars

• Salt