What to look out for when reading product labels?

Legal requirements

Mandatory information that must be included on product labels includes:

• the name of the food,
• a list of ingredients, including any ingredients or substances causing allergies or intolerances used in the manufacture or preparation of the food,
• the net quantity of the food,
• the date of minimum durability or the use-by date,
• storage or usage conditions,
• instructions for use,
• the name and address of the food business operator responsible for the food information,
• nutrition declaration,
• for beverages containing more than 1.2% alcohol by volume, the actual alcoholic strength by volume must be indicated.

Listing ingredients is not required for food products such as:

• fresh fruits and vegetables,
• carbonated water (where the description indicates it has been carbonated),
• vinegar,
• cheese, butter, fermented milk, and cream (to which no ingredients other than dairy products have been added),
• single-ingredient foods, provided that the name of the food is identical to the name of the ingredient and clearly identifies the nature of the ingredient.

Rules worth remembering

All this information is intended to prevent consumers from being misled. But how are ordinary people supposed to know what all these details mean and which ones are useful from a dietary perspective? Here are a few key rules to keep in mind:

1. Ingredients are listed in descending order. This means the first item on the list is the one present in the largest quantity. If you are buying products that boast a high fruit or vegetable content on the label, check if they are actually high up in the ingredient list. You should avoid foods that list sugar as the first ingredient. Don't be fooled by its other forms – sucrose, glucose-fructose syrup, fructose, glucose, maltose, lactose, maltodextrin, or dextrins are also sweeteners that are best avoided.
2. Nutritional value. Manufacturers usually only provide basic information on packaging: energy value, protein content, total carbohydrates (including sugars and fiber), fat content (saturated fats), and sodium. As a consumer, you should pay particular attention to the amount of saturated fats – choose products where this value is the lowest.
3. “Best before…” – a familiar term, right? It means that after the indicated date, the manufacturer no longer guarantees that the product will maintain the same quality. And now, a fun fact. Do you know why some products show an exact date while others only show the year? It depends on the shelf life of the product. If:

• it does not exceed 3 months; the day/month may be provided,
• the shelf life is between 3 and 18 months; the month/year may be provided,
• it exceeds 18 months; only the year may be provided.

Note! Exceeding the indicated date does not mean that the product is unfit for consumption. It is worth assessing it visually and deciding for yourself whether it should be thrown away.

4. "Use by..." – this label indicates that the product should not be consumed after the specified date (this applies to, for example, dairy products, packaged meats, and fish). It is also worth knowing that the date on the packaging only applies to goods that have been stored in the manner indicated by the manufacturer. Storing them differently may cause the food to spoil faster.  
5. Net weight. This point is worth paying attention to for economic reasons. Products often come in large packages that, at first glance, give the impression that there is a large amount of goods inside. This practice is intended to mislead the consumer, as large bulk packages usually have a more favorable price. However, once unpacked, you may be unpleasantly surprised.
6. Health claim - indicates a relationship between a food ingredient and its positive effect on the body. When making such a claim, the manufacturer is required to provide information on how much of the product should be consumed to achieve the desired health effect. Before you are tempted by such food, consider whether the amount indicated by the company is realistic to eat.
7. Nutrition claim - is any claim which states that a food has particular nutritional properties due to the energy or nutrients that it:

• contains (e.g., fiber),
• contains in increased or decreased amounts,
• does not contain (e.g., sodium-free, sugar-free).

This opens up a fairly wide door for manufacturers to engage in profitable marketing promotions. Products with such labels are often much more expensive than those without them. Meanwhile, it may turn out that on the store shelf, right next to a product with a nutrition claim, there is a much cheaper product that is naturally rich in dietary fiber and contains no sugar or sodium. An informed consumer does not have to overpay.

As you can see, the ability to read labels is very useful. Unfortunately, the sheer amount of information on packaging can be confusing if you don't know what to look for. It is therefore worth learning the tips mentioned above. Thanks to them, we will not only choose valuable products with greater awareness, but we will also save money and reduce food waste.

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Bibliography:

1. Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2011 on the provision of food information to consumers.
2. The Act of 25 August 2006 on Food and Nutrition Safety (consolidated text: Journal of Laws of 2015, item 594) 4. Regulation of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of 23 December 2014 on the labeling of specific types of foodstuffs.