Understanding British Food Labels and Terms

Ever picked up a packet of Haribo or a bar of Galaxy and wondered what all those numbers, colours, and percentages are trying to tell you? Whether it's serving size or the best-before date, UK food labels can look a bit confusing at first glance, but once you know how they work, they're actually super handy.

Here’s a friendly, no-fuss guide to understanding what’s on the label so you can enjoy your treats with confidence (and maybe even compare a few before choosing your favourite).

Why Food Labels Matter (Even When You’re Treating Yourself!)

According to the NHS UK, nutrition information labels help you choose between products and keep a check on the amount of foods you're eating that are high in fat, salt, and added sugars.

Food labels aren’t about spoiling the fun. They’re simply there to help you understand:

• How much energy (calories) you're getting
• What’s inside your sweets or snacks
• Whether your food choice is higher in sugar, fat, salt or saturates
• How a portion fits into your daily diet

You can still enjoy your choccy fix! This just helps you know what you’re eating. Most people in the UK eat or drink too much fat, calories, sugar, salt, and not enough vegetables, oily fish or fibre. Nutritional information helps you eat a balanced diet.

Back-of-Pack Labels: What Does it Mean?

Almost every pre-packed food in the UK has a nutrition table on the back or side. It usually covers:

• Energy (kJ and kcal)
• Fat
• Saturated fat
• Carbohydrates
• Sugars
• Protein
• Salt

Some brands also add things like fibre or vitamins. This info is shown per 100g (so you can compare products fairly) and sometimes per portion (which might be, let’s be honest, smaller than the portion you planned on!).

So… What Counts as “High” or “Low”?

If you’re trying to understand whether something is on the higher or lower side for certain nutrients, here’s a quick cheat sheet:

Fat

• High: More than 17.5g per 100g
• Low: 3g or less

Saturated Fat

• High: More than 5g per 100g
• Low: 1.5g or less

Sugars

• High: Over 22.5g per 100g
• Low: 5g or less

Salt

• High: More than 1.5g per 100g
• Low: 0.3g or less

Sweets will naturally sit on the higher end for sugars — that’s expected!
These labels aren’t telling you off; they’re simply there so you can make informed choices.

What About Front-of-Pack Labels?

Most brands also put the essential info right on the front. Super handy when you're comparing two treats in the snack aisle.

You'll usually see:

• Calories
• Fat
• Saturated fat
• Sugars
• Salt
• % of your daily reference intake

This gives you a fast snapshot of what’s inside, without needing to turn the pack over. (Portion sizes vary a lot, so always check what a "portion" means; sometimes it's just a few pieces!)

Due to extreme heat in WA, all orders will be shipped on cooler days.

From November to April, we strongly recommend selecting EXPRESS POST for any orders containing chocolate. Faster delivery helps reduce the chance of products melting during transit. While we do our best to keep your chocolates cool before dispatch, we cannot control Australia Post’s handling or storage conditions.

Please note: Orders sent via Standard Shipping during these months are at the customer’s own risk, and we cannot accept liability for melted items.