What are food labels and why do we need them?

January 13, 2026 •

5 min read

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), food labeling is one of the most important and direct means of communicating information to the consumer. So, what are food labels, and why do we need them to make informed choices about our health, safety, and purchases?

Quick Summary

Food labels are essential for consumers to make informed decisions about nutrition, safety, and health. They provide details on ingredients, allergens, and nutritional content, enabling comparison between products and allowing for management of dietary restrictions. These labels are crucial for preventing health risks and supporting public health initiatives.

Key Points

Serving Size is Key: All nutritional data, including calories, refers to the serving size listed, which may differ from the amount you actually eat.
Ingredients by Weight: The ingredients are listed in descending order of weight, meaning the first ingredient is the most abundant in the product.
Allergens Are Highlighted: Common allergens are declared clearly on the label, often in bold, to protect individuals with allergies.
Dates Indicate Safety and Quality: Use-by dates are for safety on perishable items, while best-before dates refer to optimal quality.
Understand % Daily Value: The %DV helps determine if a nutrient is in high (20%+) or low (5% or less) concentration per serving.
Labels Aid Product Comparison: Using the "per 100g" or "per 100ml" column is the best way to compare the nutritional content of similar products.
Labels Prevent Misinformation: Mandatory labeling regulations prevent manufacturers from making false or misleading claims about their products.

Understanding the Core Components of Food Labels

Food labels serve as a critical bridge of information between manufacturers and consumers, covering everything from nutritional value to potential allergens. Understanding each part of the label is key to making wise choices. The main components are designed to provide a comprehensive overview of what is inside the package.

The Nutrition Facts Panel

This is often the most scrutinized part of a food label. Mandated by regulatory bodies like the FDA in the US, it details the nutritional breakdown of the product.

Serving Size: One of the first things to look at. The nutritional information is based on this amount, which may not reflect how much a person typically consumes. A larger serving means higher calories and nutrients.
Calories: Indicates the energy a single serving provides. Paying attention to this number, especially in relation to serving size, helps with weight management.
Nutrients to Limit: This includes saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, and added sugars. These are often highlighted because a high intake is linked to health risks. Consumers should aim for a low % Daily Value (5% or less) for these nutrients.
Nutrients to Get Enough Of: This section includes dietary fiber, vitamins (like D), calcium, iron, and potassium, which are important for overall health. A high % Daily Value (20% or more) is desirable for these.

The Ingredient List

The ingredient list provides a detailed look at what a product is made of, with ingredients listed in descending order by weight. This means the first ingredient is the most abundant.

Predominance by Weight: This ordering allows you to quickly identify the main components. For example, if sugar is one of the first ingredients, the product is high in sugar.
Hidden Ingredients: Many additives and flavorings, including various names for sugars, can be found here. Learning to recognize these alternate names is essential for those monitoring their intake.
Compound Ingredients: When an ingredient is made of multiple sub-ingredients (like chocolate chips in a cookie), its own components must also be listed parenthetically.

Allergen and Advisory Statements

For individuals with allergies or intolerances, this information is life-saving.

Mandatory Allergen Declaration: Regulatory bodies require that common allergens, such as milk, eggs, peanuts, and wheat, are clearly declared, often in bold within or next to the ingredient list.
Precautionary Statements: Many products include "may contain" warnings for allergens, indicating potential cross-contamination. While not regulated, these serve as an important notice.

Dates and Storage Information

Food labels provide critical information on product freshness and safety.

Use-by Date: This indicates when a product is no longer safe to eat and is typically used for highly perishable foods.
Best-before Date: This suggests when a product is at its peak quality. It may still be safe to eat after this date, though quality may decline.
Storage Instructions: Labels provide guidance on how to properly store the product to ensure safety and quality, such as "refrigerate after opening".

Comparison of Different Food Labeling Systems

Various countries and regions have developed different approaches to food labeling to help consumers make faster decisions. These systems offer unique benefits, but some differences are important to note.


Feature	US-Style Nutrition Facts Panel	UK-Style Traffic Light System
Format	Detailed table with serving size, calories, and nutrients.	Color-coded system (Red, Amber, Green) on the front of the pack.
Information	Provides precise nutrient amounts per serving and % Daily Values.	Offers a quick, at-a-glance guide to fat, sugars, and salt content.
Proponents	Praised for its detailed, transparent nutritional data, allowing for precise tracking.	Favored for its simplicity, helping consumers make quick choices in the store.
Criticisms	Can be difficult for some consumers to interpret and apply in a fast-paced shopping environment.	Criticized for potentially oversimplifying complex nutritional information and not reflecting the overall healthiness of a product.
Example Application	A consumer meticulously tracking carbohydrate intake for a dietary plan.	A shopper quickly comparing two similar yogurts to pick the one lower in sugar.

Why We Need Food Labels

The necessity of food labels extends far beyond simple information. They are a cornerstone of modern public health and consumer empowerment.

Promoting Healthy Choices: By providing detailed nutritional information, labels help consumers monitor their intake of fat, sugar, salt, and calories. This is vital for managing diet-related non-communicable diseases like diabetes and heart disease.
Ensuring Food Safety: Allergen declarations are crucial for individuals with food allergies, preventing severe or even fatal reactions. Use-by dates and storage instructions ensure consumers eat food that is safe and not spoiled.
Empowering Consumers: Labels enable consumers to compare products, understand ingredients, and make informed choices that align with their health goals, ethical beliefs (e.g., organic, GMO-free), or dietary restrictions.
Preventing Misleading Claims: Mandatory labeling standards ensure that health claims and descriptions used by manufacturers are accurate and not misleading. This builds consumer trust and allows for fair marketing.
Addressing Public Health Concerns: Governments use labeling regulations to address broader health issues, such as requiring added sugar information or warning labels for certain ingredients.
Providing Traceability: Information on the manufacturer and origin provides accountability and helps with product recalls in case of a safety issue.

The Evolving Landscape of Food Labels

With changing consumer demands and advances in public health knowledge, food labeling continues to evolve. Recent trends include clearer allergen declarations, front-of-package labeling for simplified nutritional comparisons, and digital information via QR codes. These innovations aim to make nutritional information more accessible and understandable for everyone. As awareness grows, the role of food labels in guiding our health and safety decisions will only become more prominent.

Conclusion

In essence, food labels are an indispensable tool for every consumer. They are not merely a legal requirement for manufacturers but a powerful resource for personal health management, safety, and conscious consumption. From navigating complex nutritional data to quickly identifying potential allergens, labels empower individuals to take control of their dietary habits and protect their well-being. By understanding and utilizing these labels effectively, we can all make more informed decisions that lead to healthier and safer eating.

Understanding Food Labels offers an authoritative guide to navigating and interpreting nutritional information on packaged foods.

Frequently Asked Questions

The most important information depends on your needs, but most people should start with serving size and calories. If you have dietary restrictions or health goals, also prioritize the ingredient list for allergens and check the nutrient panel for saturated fat, sodium, and sugars.

The 'use-by' date is a safety indicator for highly perishable foods and should not be consumed past that date. The 'best-before' date is about quality, meaning the food may still be safe to eat after this date but might not be at its freshest or best quality.

Ingredients are listed in descending order of predominance by weight. This means the ingredient that makes up the largest proportion of the product is listed first, which can help you identify if a product's primary components align with your health goals.

To compare products accurately, use the 'per 100g' or 'per 100ml' column on the Nutrition Facts panel, as serving sizes can vary between manufacturers and products. This standardizes the comparison and provides an objective metric.

The % Daily Value indicates how much a nutrient in one serving contributes to a total daily diet, based on a 2,000-calorie diet. A %DV of 5% or less is considered low, while 20% or more is considered high.

Food labels are crucial for allergy sufferers because regulatory bodies require that common allergens are declared clearly, often in bold, within or next to the ingredient list. Many also include voluntary 'may contain' warnings.

A 'Traffic Light' label, common in the UK, is a front-of-package system using green, amber, and red color codes to indicate whether a product is low, medium, or high in fat, saturated fat, sugars, and salt, respectively.