What Does Reference Intake Mean on Food Labels?

December 3, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the Food Standards Agency, Reference Intake (RI) figures help consumers understand how a product contributes to their daily recommended diet. These guidelines demystify food labels, enabling you to make more informed and balanced dietary choices.

Quick Summary

Reference Intake (RI) figures on food labels provide a guideline for an average adult's daily nutrient needs, helping consumers understand a product's nutritional contribution to their overall diet.

Key Points

RI is a Guideline: Reference Intakes are average guidelines based on the needs of an 'average adult', not strict targets for every individual.
Focus on Key Nutrients: RIs highlight maximum recommended daily amounts for fat, saturated fat, sugars, and salt to help monitor intake.
Use Percentages for Context: The %RI shows how much a portion contributes to your total daily intake, helping you evaluate a product's place in your diet.
Compare Products Easily: Use the standardized 'per 100g' figures to accurately compare the nutritional content of similar products from different brands.
Portion Size Matters: Always check the stated portion size, as it is the basis for the %RI and may differ from your actual consumption.
Combine with Other Systems: For quicker assessment, combine RI percentages with voluntary front-of-pack labels like the traffic light system.

What is a Reference Intake?

Reference Intake, often abbreviated as RI, is a set of scientifically-based guidelines for the daily amount of nutrients and energy an average adult needs for a healthy diet. You will typically find these percentages on the front or back of packaged foods. The purpose of RIs is not to set a strict individual target, but rather to serve as a guide to help you put the nutrient content of a product into the context of a balanced diet. The RI system was introduced in the EU to replace the previous 'Guideline Daily Amount' (GDA) system and standardize nutritional information across Europe. This helps consumers make quick comparisons between products on supermarket shelves.

The 'Average Adult' and What It Means for You

It's important to note that the Reference Intake values are based on the dietary needs of an average-sized, moderately active adult woman with no special dietary requirements. This is a standardized benchmark for consistency across products. This means the RI figures are not tailored to your specific needs, which can vary greatly depending on factors such as:

Age
Gender
Weight and height
Activity level
Specific dietary conditions or goals

For example, if you are a very active male athlete, your actual energy and nutrient requirements will be much higher than the average RI figures suggest. Conversely, a sedentary individual may need less. Therefore, the RI should be used as a simple, at-a-glance guide rather than a precise measurement for your personal health goals.

Decoding the Key RI Nutrients

Reference Intakes provide a percentage (%) for several key nutrients, which can help you manage your intake of specific components.

Energy (kJ/kcal): This represents the calories in a portion of the food. The average RI is 8,400 kJ or 2,000 kcal for energy. This value is a guide, as many people's daily energy needs differ. It helps you see how much energy a food provides relative to this average.
Fat (g): This is the total fat content. The average adult RI for fat is 70g per day, and the label shows you what percentage a serving contributes. Fat is essential, but it's important to monitor intake, particularly of saturated fats.
Saturated Fat (g): These are considered 'unhealthy' fats, and the RI for them is a maximum recommendation, typically 20g per day. This figure is particularly useful for those watching their heart health.
Sugars (g): The RI for total sugars is typically a maximum of 90g per day, though this includes both naturally occurring and added sugars. On many labels, this is broken down, and it's wise to limit added sugars where possible.
Salt (g): The RI for salt is a maximum of 6g per day. A high intake is linked to high blood pressure, so monitoring this percentage is crucial for heart health.

How to Effectively Use RI on Labels

To get the most out of Reference Intake information, follow these simple steps:

Check the portion size. The RI percentages are almost always based on a single serving defined by the manufacturer. Always check if this portion size matches how much you actually eat. If you eat two servings, you must double the RI percentages.
Compare 'per 100g'. The 'per 100g' or 'per 100ml' column is the most reliable way to compare different products. It provides a standardized figure that isn't affected by different portion sizes between brands.
Assess the %RI. A low percentage (5% or less) means a product has a small contribution to your daily intake for that nutrient, while a high percentage (20% or more) means it makes a large contribution. Use this to inform your choices; aim for higher percentages of beneficial nutrients and lower percentages of those you need to limit.
Look beyond the RI. Some labels include additional information like the colour-coded 'traffic light' system. Combining RI percentages with this visual cue can make assessing a product's healthiness even faster.

Reference Intake vs. Other Labeling Systems

Navigating food labels can be confusing with different systems in place. Here is a comparison to help you distinguish between them:


Feature	Reference Intake (RI)	Traffic Light Labeling	% Daily Value (U.S. Labels)
Function	Gives context for a product's nutrient content relative to an average daily guide.	Provides a color-coded, at-a-glance assessment of fat, saturated fat, sugars, and salt content.	Shows the percentage of daily nutrient needs met by a single serving, based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
Key Metric	Percentage (%) contribution to an average adult's RI.	Color codes (red, amber, green) indicating high, medium, or low levels.	Percentage of the Daily Value (%DV) for a list of nutrients.
Basis	European standard based on an average adult woman.	UK system based on criteria for high, medium, and low nutrient levels.	U.S. standard based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
Best For	Understanding a portion's place in your overall dietary pattern.	Quick visual comparison of nutrient levels between products.	Identifying whether a serving is a high or low source of specific nutrients.

Conclusion: Making Smarter Choices with RI

Ultimately, understanding what does reference intake mean on food labels is a powerful tool for taking control of your diet. By paying attention to these percentages, you can quickly grasp how much a serving contributes to your recommended daily intake of energy, fat, sugar, and salt. While they are a guide and not a rigid rule, they empower you to compare products effectively, balance your overall consumption, and make more mindful decisions about the food you choose to eat.

For more information on understanding and using Reference Intakes, visit the official European Reference Intakes website Reference Intakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

RI replaced GDA in the EU to standardize labeling, but the principles are largely the same. The key difference is that GDA had separate figures for men, women, and children, whereas RI uses a single benchmark based on an average adult.

Reference Intakes are based on the needs of an average-sized, moderately active adult woman with no special dietary requirements. They are intended as a general guide, not an individual target.

Use the %RI to put a product's nutrient content in context. A low percentage (5% or less) indicates a small contribution to your daily intake, while a high percentage (20% or more) shows a large contribution. Use this information to balance your overall diet throughout the day.

For certain nutrients like energy, RIs are a guide. However, for less healthy nutrients like saturated fat, sugars, and salt, the RI values represent a maximum recommendation that should not be exceeded.

RI labeling typically includes energy (calories), fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates, sugars, protein, and salt. Other nutrients like fiber may also be included.

Since RIs are based on an average adult, they do not directly apply to children and teens, whose nutritional needs differ significantly. Parents should use the information as a general guide but not as a specific target for their children.

The most effective way to compare products is to look at the 'per 100g' column on the nutrition label. This provides a standard measure that is not influenced by different serving sizes across brands, allowing for an accurate side-by-side comparison.

RI provides a percentage, giving context to a product's nutrient content relative to a daily guide. Traffic light labeling uses color-coding (red, amber, green) to give an immediate visual indication of a product's fat, saturates, sugar, and salt levels.