United States Mission to the European Union
Foreign Agricultural Service
United States Department Of Agriculture
Last modified: June 25, 2018

Nutritional labeling

Under the EU’s Food Information to Consumers (FIC) regulation 1169/2011, a nutrition declaration is mandatory since December 13, 2016.  Annex V to the FIC regulation lists foodstuffs which are exempted from the mandatory nutrition declaration requirement.

The mandatory nutrition declaration must be presented, if space permits, in tabular format with the numbers aligned and where space does not permit, in linear format.

Mandatory content of the nutrition declaration:

  • Energy value: expressed in kilojoules (kj) and kilocalories (kcal)
  • In this particular order: amounts of fat, saturates, carbohydrate, sugars, protein and salt, expressed in grams (g), milligrams (mg) or micrograms (μg) per 100 grams or per 100 milliliters.

Nutrition declarations per portion or per consumption unit, in addition to the declaration per 100 grams or milliliters, are allowed provided that the number of portions or consumption units is clearly indicated on the package.

All elements of the mandatory nutrition declaration should be in the same field of vision on the food label or packaging.  The following elements may, on a voluntary basis, be repeated on the front label:

  •  Energy value
  •  Energy value together with the amounts of fat, saturates, sugars and salt

The content of the mandatory nutrition declaration may be supplemented with the indication of the amounts of one or more of the following:

  • Monounsaturates
  • Polyunsaturates
  • Polyols
  • Starch
  •  Fibre
  • Vitamins and minerals listed in Part A of Annex XIII of the FIC regulation

Detailed rules on the presentation of the nutrition declaration are set out in Annex XV of the FIC regulation.

On June 6, 2018, the European Commission published a notice on the application of the FIC regulation in order to provide answers to a series of questions – mainly about the nutrition declaration – that have been raised since the entry into force of the FIC regulation.

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