Nutrition Claims on Food Labels: The Complete UK Guide
Thirty. That is the exact number of nutrition claims on food labels currently permitted in Great Britain. Not thirty categories. Not thirty broad descriptions. Thirty specific, regulated claims – each one governed by precise conditions that determine whether a product genuinely qualifies to use the wording.
If you are producing food, drinks, supplements or specialist nutrition products in the UK, understanding these permitted claims is not optional. Using a nutrition claim your product does not meet the threshold for is a labelling offence. This guide covers all 30 authorised claims, how the conditions work, and what food businesses need to get right before going to print.
What Are Nutrition Claims on Food Labels?
A nutrition claim is any statement on a food label that suggests a food has particular beneficial nutritional properties. That includes claims about energy, macronutrients, vitamins, minerals and certain fatty acids.
The rules are set out in retained UK law, derived from EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. Every permitted nutrition claim in Great Britain is listed in the GB Nutrition and Health Claims (NHC) register, maintained by the Department of Health and Social Care and last updated in February 2025.
The critical point: only the claims on that register may appear on food labels. Equivalent or paraphrased wording is only acceptable where the register explicitly allows it – for most claims, the provision states that “any claim likely to have the same meaning for the consumer” may also be used, but the product must still meet the underlying numerical conditions.
Nutrition claims are separate from health claims, which link a nutrient to a body function. Nutrition claims only describe the nutritional composition of the food itself.
The 30 Permitted Nutrition Claims
Energy Claims on Food Labels
1. Low energy – the food must contain no more than 40 kcal per 100g for solids, or 20 kcal per 100ml for liquids.
2. Energy reduced – energy content must be reduced by at least 30% compared to the original or similar product, with the reduction specified.
3. Energy-free – the food must contain no more than 4 kcal per 100ml. This claim may only be used for liquids.
Fat Nutrition Claims for Food Labelling
4. Low fat – no more than 3g of fat per 100g for solids, or 1.5g per 100ml for liquids.
5. Fat-free – no more than 0.5g of fat per 100g or 100ml. Claims such as “X% fat-free” are prohibited.
6. Low saturated fat – saturated fat and trans fatty acids combined must not exceed 1.5g per 100g for solids, or 0.75g per 100ml for liquids, and must provide no more than 10% of energy.
7. Saturated fat-free – saturated and trans fatty acids combined must not exceed 0.1g per 100g or 100ml.
Sugar Nutrition Claims on Food Labels
8. Low sugars – no more than 5g of sugars per 100g for solids, or 2.5g per 100ml for liquids.
9. Sugars-free – no more than 0.5g of sugars per 100g or 100ml.
10. With no added sugars – no added mono- or disaccharides, or any other food used for its sweetening properties. If sugars are naturally present, the label must carry the statement “contains naturally occurring sugars.”
Sodium and Salt Claims
11. Low sodium/salt – no more than 0.12g of sodium, or the equivalent value for salt, per 100g or 100ml.
12. Very low sodium/salt – no more than 0.04g of sodium per 100g or 100ml. This claim may not be used for natural mineral water.
13. Sodium-free or salt-free – no more than 0.005g of sodium per 100g or 100ml.
14. No added sodium/salt – no sodium or salt added, and the food contains no more sodium than an equivalent product to which no sodium or salt has been added.
Fibre and Protein Claims
15. Source of fibre – at least 3g of fibre per 100g, or at least 1.5g per 100 kcal.
16. High fibre – at least 6g of fibre per 100g, or at least 3g per 100 kcal.
17. Source of protein – protein must provide at least 12% of the energy value of the food.
18. High protein – protein must provide at least 20% of the energy value of the food.
Vitamin and Mineral Nutrition Claims on Food Labels
19. Source of [vitamin/mineral] – the food must contain at least 15% of the Nutrient Reference Value (NRV) per 100g or 100ml, or per portion where clearly labelled.
20. High [vitamin/mineral] – the food must contain at least 30% of the NRV per 100g or 100ml, or per portion.
General Nutrient Content Claims
21. Contains [nutrient or substance] – applies where no specific conditions are set for a given substance. The food must be present in significant quantity.
22. Increased [nutrient] – the content of the nutrient must have been increased by at least 30% compared to a similar product.
23. Reduced [nutrient] – the content of the nutrient must have been reduced by at least 30% compared to a similar product, with exceptions for micronutrients where 10% applies.
24. Light/lite – must meet the same conditions as “reduced,” with an indication of the characteristic making the food “light.”
25. Naturally/natural – the food must naturally meet the conditions for the claim. The word “naturally” may be added as a prefix to any permitted claim where those conditions are met without modification.
Omega and Unsaturated Fat Claims
26. Source of omega-3 fatty acids – at least 0.3g of alpha-linolenic acid per 100g and per 100 kcal, or at least 40mg of EPA and DHA combined per 100g and per 100 kcal.
27. High omega-3 fatty acids – at least 0.6g of alpha-linolenic acid per 100g and per 100 kcal, or at least 80mg of EPA and DHA combined per 100g and per 100 kcal.
28. High monounsaturated fat – monounsaturated fat must provide more than 45% of total fatty acids and more than 20% of energy.
29. High polyunsaturated fat – polyunsaturated fat must provide more than 45% of total fatty acids and more than 20% of energy.
30. High unsaturated fat – unsaturated fat (mono and poly combined) must provide more than 70% of total fatty acids and more than 20% of energy.
Why the Threshold Conditions Matter
Every nutrition claim above has a quantified threshold. The threshold is not a guideline – it is a hard requirement. A product labelled “low fat” with 3.2g of fat per 100g is in breach, regardless of how close it comes.
This catches food businesses out in two common ways. First, reformulation: a recipe change that slightly increases fat content can invalidate a claim already printed on thousands of label runs. Second, portion-based thresholds: some claims are assessed per portion rather than per 100g, which requires the portion size to be clearly stated on the label for the claim to be valid.
At Positive ID Labels, we print short and medium runs for food manufacturers who need to move quickly – whether that is responding to a reformulation, updating claim wording after a regulatory review, or getting a new product to shelf. Our Screen UV inkjet press handles high-quality runs on polypropylene and paper-based food labels fast, keeping costs down without compromising on print clarity for small regulatory text. For premium food and drink products where fine print needs to look exceptional, the Xeikon delivers 1200dpi quality on high-end paper stocks.
Need to update label runs quickly following a recipe or regulatory change? Call 01332 864895 and we will turn quotes around fast.
FAQs: Nutrition Claims on Food Labels
Can I use “no added sugar” and “sugar-free” on the same label? They are different claims with different conditions. “No added sugars” means no sugars were added during production but the food may still contain naturally occurring sugars. “Sugars-free” means the total sugar content is below 0.5g per 100g regardless of source. A food could legitimately carry both, but only if it meets both sets of conditions independently.
Does “reduced fat” mean the same as “low fat” on a food label? No. “Low fat” requires an absolute threshold – no more than 3g per 100g. “Reduced fat” requires a relative reduction of at least 30% compared to a similar product. A full-fat product with a 30% reduction might still contain well above 3g per 100g and could not carry the “low fat” claim.
Can I use “natural” as a standalone nutrition claim on food labels? Not exactly. “Naturally/natural” as a permitted claim means the food naturally meets the conditions for another specific claim – for example, “naturally low in fat” where the product meets the “low fat” threshold without modification. A vague standalone “natural” claim with no nutritional basis is not a regulated nutrition claim and is assessed separately under general food labelling rules.
Are these nutrition claim rules the same in Northern Ireland? No. Northern Ireland continues to follow EU regulations under the Windsor Framework, so the EU version of Regulation 1924/2006 applies there. The permitted claims and thresholds are broadly the same, but any divergence that occurs between GB and EU rules over time will apply differently.
What happens if a product reformulation means a label claim is no longer valid? The claim must be removed or the label updated before the product is placed on the market. You cannot sell existing labelled stock once you know the product no longer meets the threshold. This is a common trigger for emergency label reprints – something Positive ID Labels handles routinely for food manufacturers. Call 01332 864895 to discuss fast turnaround options.
How do I check what threshold applies to a specific nutrition claim? The full conditions for all 30 permitted nutrition claims are set out in the Annex to the retained GB version of Regulation 1924/2006, and summarised in the GB NHC register on GOV.UK. For complex products or multi-claim labels, a qualified food law consultant can help verify compliance before print.
Getting Your Labels Right First Time
Nutrition claims on food labels are one of the most frequently misused areas of food labelling – not through deliberate intent, but because the thresholds are specific, conditions differ by claim, and the rules can shift with reformulation.
Positive ID Labels has been working with food producers, supplement brands and specialist retailers for over 20 years. We understand that label accuracy and speed both matter. Get your specifications right and we will get them printed right.
Want to see the quality before you commit? Request free samples or call 01332 864895 for a no-obligation quote tailored to your label requirements.
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All food labelling guides are provided in good faith for information purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. For specific compliance questions about specific labelling laws, contact a specialist or contact your local Trading Standards authority. Read our Regulatory Information Disclaimer