Front of pack labelling around the world
15 July 2026We take a look at some of the most widely used nutrition labels around the world.
There are many different types of front of pack (FOP) nutrition labels in use around the world. This article explores some of the most widely used nutrition labels.
FOP nutrition labels are provided to help consumers make more informed choices. When nutrition information is noticeable and easily understood, it can drive consumers to make healthier choices. Nutrition labels may also encourage food and drink companies to improve the nutritional quality of their products.
Traffic light labelling
Overview
The traffic light labelling system is a voluntary FOP scheme first launched in the UK in 2006 and subsequently updated and managed by the UK Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). The system uses red, amber, and green colours to show if a food is high, medium, or low in fat, saturated fat, sugars, and salt.
The colours help consumers to interpret how ‘healthy’ a product is with red being less healthy and green being healthier.
Criteria
The information is displayed as energy (kJ/kcal) only or energy plus: fat, saturates, (total) sugar and salt. These are nutrients that public health authorities recommend to moderate due to their harmful health effects when consumed in excess.
The colours correspond to boundaries for each nutrient, per 100g/ml. The exact guidelines for each nutrient can be in annex 3 of this document.
The calorie value and nutrient amounts in each lozenge are per portion, the portion size is indicated above the lozenges.
Confusingly, the percentage values at the bottom of the lozenges are not based on the same boundaries as the traffic light colours. The percentage values relate to the reference intake, which is laid out in Regulation EU No 1169/2011 and has continued to be used since Brexit.
Evidence of impact
When it comes to purchasing healthier products, UK consumers find traffic light labelling one of the most useful cues, second only to a recommendation from a health professional.1 However, evidence is mixed on whether the labelling system actually helps consumers to avoid unhealthier products, promote healthier ones, or have any effect at all.2, 3, 4
Reference Intakes
Overview
Reference Intakes (RI), previously known as Guideline Daily Amounts (GDA), are a numerical FOP labelling system used on pre-packaged foods and drinks across the European Union and, in modified form, in the UK.
Criteria
Information is given for either energy only, or energy plus fat, saturates, sugars and salt, either per 100g/100ml or per portion. Energy information must be provided per 100g/ml. The figures were first mandated in 2016 under the EU Food Information for Consumers Regulation.
Current status
RI-only labelling remains widespread, but it continues to sit within a fragmented European picture. The European Commission has repeatedly signalled its intention - first set out in the 2020 Farm to Fork Strategy - to propose a single harmonised, mandatory FOP scheme across the EU.5
That proposal has still not materialised; Member States remain divided, particularly over whether a harmonised scheme should take the form of a coloured, graded label like Nutri-Score or a more neutral numerical format.6 In the meantime, individual governments continue to press ahead with their own national schemes, extending the fragmentation the EU proposal was meant to resolve.
Nutri-Score
Overview
The Nutri-score labelling scheme grades foods from letters A to E and colours from dark green to dark orange according to their overall nutritional quality (A and dark green being the healthiest score). It is a voluntary scheme, first introduced in France in 2017 and developed by Santé publique France (the French national public health agency).
It has been adopted in eight European countries: France, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, and Portugal. Several countries, such as Italy, Greece and Romania have opted out. Additionally, individual companies use the Nutri-Score label across other countries, including the UK.
Criteria
Similar to the nutrient profiling model in the UK, Nutri-Score is a calculation comprising recommended components in the diet against those to limit. Namely, fibre, protein, fruits, vegetables, legumes against calories, saturated fats, sugars, salt, and sweeteners in beverages.7 The amounts are based on 100g/mL of a product.
In 2023, the European Scientific Committee for Nutri-Score passed updates to the algorithm to better align with the dietary recommendations of the various countries involved.8
These modifications included:
Specific categories such as cheese, red meat, and beverages to better align with scientific evidence. This differs from other models which only have ‘food’ and ‘drink’ categories.
Stricter treatment of sugar, salt and non-nutritive sweeteners, and a bigger reward for dietary fibre and protein.
Discernment between wholegrain and refined cereal products, with refined products scoring less favourably on average.
More favourable treatment of vegetable oils rich in unsaturated fats, and separation of nuts and seeds into their own category rather than being counted alongside fruit and vegetables.
Evidence of impact
Similar to the traffic light system, evidence for the effectiveness of Nutri-Score is mixed.9, 10 There are concerns from parties with differing views that the evidence and implementation of Nutri-Score has been clouded by ”conflicts of interest” which highlights the difficulties of applying a FOP system that is universally accepted.11, 12 Nutri-Score's future as the basis for any future EU-wide mandatory scheme remains uncertain and there has been little movement since the publication of the European Commission's Farm to Fork strategy in 2020.13
Nordic Keyhole
Overview
The Nordic Keyhole symbol is the longest-standing FOP label in Europe, trademarked by the Swedish National Food Agency in 1989 and developed jointly by authorities in Sweden, Norway and Denmark with support from the Nordic Council of Ministers. It is also used in Iceland, Lithuania and Macedonia.
The keyhole shape was designed by combining the existing Nordic food circle and food pyramid and forming a new concept of food intake, aiming to include more and varied fruits, vegetables, grains, fish and less red meat.
Criteria
Products with the symbol comply with one or more of the following when compared with other foods of the same category: healthier fat content, less fat, less sugar, less salt, more dietary fibre and wholegrains. Soft drinks, sweets, cakes and foods with added artificial sweeteners or plant sterols cannot be labelled with the keyhole.
It is a positive labelling system; the presence of the Nordic Keyhole on a product is a sign of encouragement, rather than avoidance.
Evidence of impact
The Nordic Keyhole has achieved 96% awareness in Sweden, showing the importance of longstanding labelling guidance.14 Compared to Nutri-Score it has been reported that there’s around 80% agreement on what constitutes a ‘healthy‘ product, plant-based meat and fish analogues had the lowest level of alignment (33% agreement).15 There has been a dearth of research investigating the effectiveness of the Nordic Keyhole on consumer behaviour.
The Keyhole system is a simple logo, easily identifying healthier products within a category. Dietary fibre and wholegrains are important components in a healthy diet, and these are included in the criteria for deciding to place the keyhole logo on products. The scheme, however, does not help consumers looking out for specific nutrients such as salt or sugars.
Stop-sign warnings
Overview
Stop-start warnings are bold, black octagons placed on the front of packaged foods. They notify consumers when a product contains calories, sugars, sodium, or saturated fats that exceed specified thresholds. This is the opposite labelling system to the Nordic Keyhole, promoting the avoidance of products with a warning placed on their packaging.
Chile was the first country in the world to introduce mandatory FOP warning labels, under a law passed in 2012 and implemented in phases from 2016.
What began as a single-country experiment is now a mainstream policy approach across Latin America and beyond. Countries that have since introduced their own mandatory ‘high in’ or ‘excess’ warning FOP systems include Peru, Uruguay, Israel, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia Venezuela and Canada.
Criteria
The thresholds, nutrients and display can differ slightly between countries, and yet they all follow a similar pattern: if a target nutrient exceeds a specific nutrient threshold, a warning label for that nutrient must be placed on the front of pack.
Some countries systems go further than Chile, for example Mexico, by also requiring precautionary legends on products containing caffeine or non-caloric sweeteners, warning that these are not recommended for children.16
Evidence of impact
Chile mandated front-of-package warning labels on foods and beverages, restricted food marketing to children, and stopped the sale of foods and beverages high in nutrients of concern (e.g., sugar, saturated fat and sodium) in schools. The effect of these food and drink policies saw a decline in purchases of food and drink high in these nutrients of concern equivalent to 23% less energy, 37% less sugar, 16% less saturated fat.17 Similar results have been seen in Mexico regarding the reformulation warning labels on pack.18
Commentary has been made that some of the success can be attributed to the mandatory nature of these labels, rather than the voluntary FOP labelling seen in Europe.19, 20
Health Star Rating
Overview
The Health Star Rating (HSR) is a FOP labelling system, introduced in Australia and New Zealand in June 2014, that rates the overall nutrition profile of packaged foods and assigns it a star rating from half a star to five stars.
Criteria
The system considers saturated fat, sugar, salt, fibre, protein, and the proportion of fruit, vegetable, nut or legume content, weighing positive and negative nutrients to determine a star rating.
Current status
HSR uptake has consistently fallen short of government targets. Food Ministers had agreed that if voluntary uptake failed to reach 70% of eligible products by November 2025, they would consider mandating the scheme.21 By that deadline, uptake stood at only around 37–39% of products in Australia and 36% in New Zealand.22 As a result, at the Food Ministers' Meeting on 13 February 2026, ministers agreed to instruct Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) to prepare a formal proposal to mandate HSR within the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, with two rounds of public consultation to follow before a final decision.23
Regarding the effectiveness of the HSR, three studies have not found an effect on food purchases.24
Choices Programme
Overview
The Choices logo carries a positive health message, helping consumers identify the healthiest option within a food category. It was introduced in the Netherlands in 2006, following a World Health Organization call for the food industry to help tackle obesity and non-communicable disease.
The Choices logo continues to be used in a number of markets including the Czech Republic, Argentina and Nigeria, and has informed the design of several other national front-of-pack programmes developed in collaboration with the Choices Foundation.
Criteria
Criteria are food-category specific and include qualifying and disqualifying components: minimum values for fibre, and maximum values for energy, saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, total sugars and added sugars.
Healthier Choice
Overview
The Healthier Choice Symbol appears on food packaging in Singapore, informing consumers of healthier alternatives within a category. It was introduced in 1998 and updated in 2015, and now operates in association with the international Choices programme.
Criteria
The symbol is used on products eligible for a recognised national nutrient claim, such as lower in sugar, lower in sodium, higher in calcium, or trans-fat free.
IGD opinion
Since our last review of this topic, the global picture has moved decisively away from mainly voluntary labelling. Warning-label systems have spread rapidly across the Americas while Australia and New Zealand are moving to mandate their Health Star Rating after years of disappointing voluntary uptake.
Closer to home, the EU has yet to deliver a harmonised, mandatory scheme that was first promised in its 2020 Farm to Fork Strategy, leaving Nutri-Score, Keyhole, RI and national traffic-light schemes to compete for space on European shelves.
For food and drink businesses operating across multiple markets, this growing divergence between voluntary and mandatory regimes, and between graded, colour-coded and warning-based formats, is likely to remain one of the most significant compliance and reformulation challenges over the next several years.
References
4 Gajadhar and Hippolyte. 2024