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Accurate Nutrition Labels: Ensuring Safety and Compliance

By Avery Dennison Segment Development team

28 October 2025

A trip to the supermarket reveals thousands of products all competing for attention. For the modern consumer, however, a purchase decision often comes down to more than just branding or price. In the end, it’s trust. A crucial element in building that trust is the nutritional information label on the packaging. An accurate and compliant nutrition label is not just a regulatory requirement. It is a direct line of communication with your customer, a testament to your brand's integrity, and a powerful tool in a competitive market. For food manufacturers, understanding the nuances of food nutrition labels can feel challenging. However, understanding your legal and ethical obligations is fundamental to long-term success. This article will explore why accurate nutrition facts for food are essential, break down the key components of a compliant label, and offer practical guidance.

Why accurate food nutrition labels matter

The small black-and-white grid on your product packaging carries significant weight. It influences consumer choice, impacts public health, and protects your business from legal repercussions. Getting it right is non-negotiable.

Building consumer trust and loyalty

Today’s consumers are more health-conscious than ever. They actively seek information to make informed dietary choices for themselves and their families. A clear, accurate, and easy-to-understand nutrition facts label empowers them to do so. When a customer can quickly assess a product's contents, they feel more confident in their purchase. This transparency builds a foundation of trust that can translate into brand loyalty and repeat business. Conversely, inaccuracies or misleading information can quickly erode that trust, permanently damaging your brand's reputation.

Legal and regulatory compliance

Food labelling regulations are strictly enforced to protect public health. Non-compliance can lead to severe consequences, including product recalls, substantial fines, and legal action. Ensuring every nutrition label is accurate is a critical risk management strategy for your business. Regulators are focused on protecting consumers from undeclared allergens and false health claims, making strict adherence to the rules essential.

Ethical responsibility and public health

Beyond the legalities, manufacturers have an ethical responsibility to provide correct information. The data on a nutritional information label helps consumers manage health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and food allergies. An error in declaring sugar content, sodium levels, or the presence of an allergen can have serious health implications for an individual. By providing precise nutrition facts for food, you contribute positively to public health and demonstrate a commitment to your customers' well-being.

Key components of a compliant nutrition label

To ensure compliance, you must understand what a nutrition label must contain. While specific layouts can vary, the core information required is standardised. Let's break down the essential elements.

Serving size and servings per container

This is the starting point for understanding the entire nutrition facts label. The serving size reflects the amount of food typically consumed in one sitting. All subsequent nutrient values on the label are based on this single serving. It is crucial that the serving size is realistic and clearly stated. Alongside this, the "servings per container" tells the consumer how many servings are in the entire package, helping them calculate their total intake if they consume more than one serving.

Calories

Calories are a measure of the energy provided by a food product. The label must clearly state the number of calories per serving. This is often one of the first pieces of information a consumer looks for. Providing an accurate calorie count is fundamental for those managing their weight or overall energy intake.

Macronutrient breakdown

The core of the nutrition label details the major nutrients that contribute to a person's diet. This section must include:

Fat: Total fat content is listed in grams. Regulations also require a breakdown of saturated fat. Information on trans fats may also be required, as they are a significant concern for cardiovascular health.
Carbohydrates: This includes the total carbohydrates in grams, with a separate line for total sugars. Highlighting sugar content is vital, as many consumers actively monitor their sugar intake. The figure for "sugars" includes both naturally occurring sugars and added sugars.
Protein: The total amount of protein per serving is listed in grams. This is a key nutrient for muscle repair, growth, and overall bodily function.

Salt (sodium)

Salt content is another critical component, listed in grams. High salt intake is linked to high blood pressure and other health issues, making this information essential for public health. Note that regulations often refer to "salt" rather than "sodium" to be more easily understood by consumers.

Allergen information

While often listed separately near the ingredients list, allergen information is a vital part of food labelling. Any of the 14 major allergens, if present in the product, must be clearly emphasised (e.g., in bold text). This is a critical safety requirement that protects consumers with food allergies and intolerances.

5 Tips for Ensuring Compliant and Accurate Labels

Achieving 100% accuracy across your entire product line requires a systematic approach. Here are five practical tips for manufacturers.

1. Invest in professional nutritional analysis

Guesswork has no place in creating a nutritional information label. The most reliable way to obtain accurate data is through professional laboratory analysis. A certified lab can test your product to determine its precise nutritional composition. Alternatively, using accredited software that calculates nutritional values based on a product's recipe can be a valid method, provided the ingredient data is accurate and from a reliable source.

2. Standardise your recipes and processes

Consistency is key. Any variation in your recipe or production process can alter the nutritional content of the final product. Implement strict quality control measures to ensure that every batch is made with the exact same ingredients and proportions. Document all recipes and processes thoroughly, and train your staff to follow them precisely.

3. Understand the relevant regulations

Food labelling laws are complex and subject to change. It is your responsibility to stay current with the latest regulations from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and other relevant bodies. Invest time in understanding the specific requirements for your product type, including formatting, font sizes, and placement of the nutrition label. Consider subscribing to industry newsletters or consulting with a regulatory expert to stay informed.

4. Implement a verification system

Before any packaging goes to print, implement a multi-stage verification process. This should involve several team members, including someone from quality assurance and a regulatory specialist, checking the final label design against the nutritional analysis report and regulatory guidelines. This simple cross-checking process can catch costly errors before they reach the consumer.

5. Keep meticulous records

Maintain detailed records of everything related to your food nutrition labels. This includes your nutritional analysis reports, recipe formulations, supplier ingredient specifications, and final packaging proofs. Should a regulator or customer ever question your label's accuracy, you will have a complete paper trail to demonstrate your due diligence and commitment to compliance.

The importance of reliable and food-safe labels

Beyond accuracy and compliance, the performance of your label in real-world conditions is critical. Labels must remain legible and securely adhered to packaging, even when exposed to heat, chilled or frozen, moisture, or oily environments during processing, shipping, and storage. A label that fades, peels, or becomes unreadable can jeopardize regulatory compliance and undermine consumer trust by concealing vital nutritional information.

Equally essential is ensuring that labels are manufactured from materials that are safe for food packaging. Labels approved for direct and/or indirect contact with dry or moist foods offer additional flexibility to manufacturers, allowing safe application on a wide range of products. Choosing reliable, food safe labels protects both your customers and your brand, ensuring that crucial information remains visible and intact from production to consumption.

The Future of Food Nutrition Labels

The food labelling market is continually evolving. For example, we are seeing a move towards front-of-pack (FOP) labelling systems, like the traffic light system, which provide a quick visual summary of a product's health profile. Staying ahead of such trends and embracing greater transparency will ensure compliance and position your brand as a leader in the industry.

An accurate nutrition label is much more than a legal formality. It reflects your company's values and represents your relationship with your customers. By prioritising accuracy, clarity, and compliance, you protect your business, support public health, and build the lasting trust that is essential for success.

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