How do I read food labels properly?

Food labels are informative if you know which parts are regulated and which are marketing. The ingredients list and the per-100g nutrition column are the reliable parts; front-of-pack claims are largely not.

Safety

What you'll need

• A product to compare (optional)

Step by step

1. Read the ingredients list first.It is listed in descending order by weight. The first three ingredients tell you most of what the product actually is.
2. Compare using the per-100g column.Per-portion figures use portion sizes chosen by the manufacturer, which vary between products. Per 100g is the only comparable basis.
3. Understand the two date types.Use-by is a safety date on perishable food and should not be exceeded. Best-before is about quality and food is usually fine afterwards.
4. Check the allergen information every time.Allergens are legally highlighted in the ingredients list. Recipes change without announcement, so a product safe last month may not be now.
5. Treat front-of-pack claims with scepticism.Terms like natural, wholesome and artisan are largely unregulated. Specific claims about nutrients are regulated; general impressions are not.
6. Watch for the 'may contain' warning.It indicates a genuine cross-contamination risk from shared production lines. For a serious allergy it should be treated as a real warning.
7. Check the quantity of the named ingredient.Products naming an ingredient prominently must usually state its percentage. A pie advertising steak may contain surprisingly little.
8. Look at sugar and salt in context.Sugars include naturally occurring ones. Salt is often listed as salt rather than sodium in most countries, but check which figure you are reading.

Tips

• The per-100g column also lets you compare a large pack against a small one honestly, which the shelf price sometimes obscures.
• Own-brand products are frequently made in the same factories as branded ones. The ingredients list often reveals how similar they are.
• Best-before dates cause an enormous amount of avoidable food waste. Use your senses on non-perishable items rather than the date alone.

Common mistakes

• Comparing products by the per-portion figures — Portion sizes are chosen by the manufacturer and vary widely. Only the per-100g column is comparable between products.
• Treating best-before as a safety date — It is about quality. A great deal of edible food is thrown away because of this confusion.
• Trusting front-of-pack claims — Many of the terms used are unregulated marketing. The ingredients list is the regulated and informative part.

Questions people ask