What is the importance of putting a food label?

January 8, 2026 •

4 min read

According to a 2025 FSANZ survey, over 70% of consumers feel confident using food labels to inform their choices, highlighting the critical importance of putting a food label on products for public health and safety. Food labels are a direct and essential communication tool between producers and consumers.

Quick Summary

Food labels provide vital information for consumer safety, dietary management, and healthy eating decisions. They help identify allergens, understand nutritional content, and prevent foodborne illness.

Key Points

Allergen Protection: Clearly identifying allergens on labels prevents life-threatening allergic reactions and helps individuals with intolerances make safe choices.
Health Management: Labels provide vital data like calorie, sodium, and sugar content, empowering consumers to manage chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.
Informed Choices: By detailing ingredients and nutritional values, labels allow consumers to compare products and make educated decisions that align with their health goals.
Food Safety and Waste Reduction: Date markings like 'use-by' and 'best-before' ensure product safety and help prevent food waste due to consumer misinterpretation.
Combating Misleading Claims: Reading the full nutrition panel helps consumers look past potentially misleading marketing claims on the front of packaging.

Consumer Health and Safety

Food labels serve as the first line of defense for consumer health, providing essential information that empowers individuals to make safe and informed dietary choices. This transparency is particularly crucial in a globalized food market where direct contact with the food source is no longer the norm. From preventing life-threatening allergic reactions to managing chronic illnesses, food labels play an indispensable role in daily life.

Protecting Against Allergies and Intolerances

For individuals with food allergies or intolerances, an accurate and comprehensive label is a lifeline. Severe allergic reactions, such as anaphylaxis, can be triggered by even trace amounts of a specific allergen. Regulations like the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) in the U.S. and similar mandates in the European Union require manufacturers to clearly identify major allergens like peanuts, milk, eggs, and shellfish. This clear identification helps consumers quickly and confidently determine if a product is safe for them to consume.

Key aspects of allergen labeling include:

Clear Allergen Identification: Allergens are listed in the ingredient list and often summarized in a separate "Contains" statement.
Cross-Contamination Warnings: Voluntary warnings like "may contain" alert consumers to the risk of unintentional exposure during manufacturing, even after precautions are taken.
Ingredient Transparency: Manufacturers must list all ingredients, preventing hidden allergens from causing an adverse reaction.

Managing Chronic Health Conditions

Food labels provide the necessary information for individuals to manage health conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. The nutrition facts panel allows for precise tracking of intake for key nutrients.

Diabetes: The carbohydrate and sugar content are crucial for managing blood glucose levels.
Hypertension: The sodium content helps individuals monitor and limit their salt intake to manage blood pressure.
Weight Management: Details on calories, fat, and portion sizes support individuals in achieving or maintaining a healthy weight.

Ensuring Food Safety and Preventing Waste

Date markings on food labels are a critical component of food safety. There are two main types of date marks with distinct meanings:

'Use-by' Date: Indicates the last date for a product to be safely consumed.
'Best-before' Date: Signifies the date until which the product retains optimal quality, but may still be safe to consume afterward.

Misinterpretation of these dates is a significant driver of food waste. Clear and consistent labeling, coupled with consumer education, helps reduce waste and ensures food is consumed safely.

Understanding Nutritional Information

The Nutrition Facts panel on packaged food is a standardized format that provides a wealth of information. To make informed decisions, consumers must know how to interpret this data correctly. This includes understanding the serving size, comparing calorie content, and using the Percent Daily Value (%DV) to gauge nutrient levels. Using the 'per 100g' or 'per 100ml' column is the most accurate method for comparing similar products.

The Broader Economic Impact

Beyond individual health, food labels play a vital role in the food system. They build and maintain consumer trust in food products and the industry. In a 2025 FSANZ report, 81% of those familiar with the organization expressed confidence in its work, showing that regulation can bolster public faith. Labels are also a primary defense against food fraud, ensuring products match their descriptions and preventing false representations. Additionally, labels showcasing attributes like country of origin or sustainable practices can influence market dynamics and consumer willingness to pay more for certain features.

What to Look For on a Food Label


Label Component	Key Information Provided	Importance for Consumers
Nutrition Facts Panel	Calories, fat, sodium, sugar, fiber, and protein content per serving.	Helps manage diet for health goals and conditions. Avoids excessive intake of unhealthy nutrients.
Ingredient List	All ingredients in descending order by weight. Allergens are often highlighted.	Identifies specific ingredients for allergies, intolerances, or dietary preferences (e.g., vegetarian).
Allergen Statement	Explicitly declares the presence of major food allergens, often in a 'Contains' statement.	Critical for individuals with allergies to prevent dangerous reactions.
Date Marking	Indicates 'Use-by' for safety and 'Best-before' for quality.	Ensures food freshness and safety while helping to reduce food waste.
Health Claims	Statements like 'low fat,' 'high fiber,' or 'natural.' Must be regulated.	Can be misleading; consumers should verify with the full nutritional panel rather than just front-of-package claims.

Conclusion

Putting a food label is far more than a regulatory formality; it is a powerful mechanism for consumer protection, public health promotion, and market transparency. Labels empower individuals to navigate their dietary needs confidently, avoid allergens, and manage chronic health conditions effectively. By understanding and utilizing the information provided, consumers can make healthier, safer, and more informed purchasing decisions. This practice, in turn, fosters a more transparent and accountable food industry, benefiting everyone from the individual consumer to the broader global food system. Further information on how to interpret nutrition facts panels can be found on the FDA website.

Frequently Asked Questions

Start with the serving size at the top and compare it to the amount you plan to eat. Use the 'per 100g' or 'per 100ml' column to accurately compare similar products and check the Percent Daily Value (%DV) to see how nutrients fit into your daily diet.

A 'use-by' date indicates the last date for a food to be safely consumed, while a 'best-before' date refers to the product's optimal quality. Food is often still safe to eat after its 'best-before' date.

No. Terms like 'natural' are often loosely defined and not a guarantee of minimal processing or superior healthiness. It is best to look at the full ingredient list and nutrition panel rather than relying on front-of-package claims.

Food labels must clearly list major allergens, often in a 'Contains' statement, to help individuals with allergies avoid ingredients that could cause a life-threatening reaction. It is crucial to always read labels before consuming a product.

The %DV indicates the percentage of the recommended daily intake of a specific nutrient provided by one serving of the food. It is based on a standard 2,000-calorie diet.

The ingredient list shows all ingredients in a product, ordered from largest to smallest by weight. This is important for identifying allergens, understanding the product's composition, and checking for specific dietary components.

Yes, food labels are a valuable tool for weight management. They provide information on calories and serving sizes, allowing consumers to track their caloric intake and make portion-controlled decisions.

Regulatory bodies like the FDA in the U.S. and national food standards agencies enforce labeling requirements. They review nutritional and health claims to ensure they are truthful and not misleading, though occasional errors can still occur.