What information must a food label carry, and how does labelling help the consumer make choices?
The information that must by law appear on a food label, including the name, ingredients, allergens, weight, dates, storage and cooking instructions and nutritional information, and how labelling helps consumers choose.
An SQA National 5 Health and Food Technology answer on food labelling, covering the information that must by law appear on a label, including name, ingredients, allergens, weight, dates, instructions and nutrition, and how labelling helps consumers choose.
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What this dot point is asking
The SQA wants you to know what information must by law appear on a food label, why each piece is useful, and how labelling helps consumers make safe, informed choices.
Why labelling is required by law
Food labelling is controlled by law so that consumers get honest, useful information and are not misled, and so that people can stay safe (for example by avoiding allergens and out-of-date food). Manufacturers must include certain items on the label of packaged food.
The information that must appear
What each part does for the consumer
The name tells the consumer what the product is and stops them being misled. The ingredients list (in order of weight) shows what is in the food, and allergens such as nuts, milk, eggs and gluten must be emphasised so people with allergies or intolerances can avoid them. The weight or quantity lets the consumer compare value. Dates matter for safety and quality: a use-by date is about safety (do not eat after it), while a best-before date is about quality (it may still be safe but past its best). Storage and cooking instructions help the consumer keep and prepare the food safely, for example "keep refrigerated" or "cook thoroughly".
Nutritional information
Nutritional information shows the energy (in kilocalories and kilojoules) and the amounts of nutrients such as fat, saturates, sugar and salt, usually per 100 g and per portion. Many products also use front-of-pack traffic-light colours (red, amber, green) to show at a glance whether a food is high, medium or low in fat, saturates, sugar and salt. This helps health-conscious consumers compare products and follow dietary advice.
Examples in context
Example 1. Comparing two yoghurts. A health-conscious shopper compares the nutritional information and traffic-light colours of two yoghurts and chooses the one with the green sugar rating, using the label to follow dietary advice.
Example 2. A parent and a best-before date. A parent finds bread a day past its best-before date. Because best-before is about quality, not safety, they check it looks and smells fine and use it, reducing food waste, while they would not do the same with a use-by date.
Try this
Q1. State the difference between a use-by date and a best-before date. [1 mark]
- Cue. Use-by is about safety (do not eat after it); best-before is about quality (may still be safe but past its best).
Q2. Name one piece of information, other than the name, that must by law appear on a packaged food label. [1 mark]
- Cue. Any one of: ingredients (with allergens emphasised), weight or quantity, a date, storage or cooking instructions, manufacturer's name and address, or nutritional information.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of SQA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
SQA N5 style4 marksDescribe four pieces of information that must by law appear on the label of a packaged food, and state why each is useful to the consumer.Show worked answer →
A 4-mark answer needs four required pieces of information, each with its use.
Information 1. The name of the food, so the consumer knows what the product is and is not misled.
Information 2. A list of ingredients in order of weight, with allergens emphasised, so the consumer can see what is in it and avoid anything they are allergic to or do not wish to eat.
Information 3. A use-by or best-before date, so the consumer knows whether the food is still safe (use-by) or at its best quality (best-before).
Information 4. Storage and cooking instructions, so the consumer can keep and prepare the food safely, for example "keep refrigerated" or "cook thoroughly".
Other valid items are the weight or quantity, nutritional information, the name and address of the manufacturer, and the country of origin. Markers reward four required items with a use for each.
SQA N5 style3 marksExplain how nutritional information and allergen labelling on packaging help different consumers make choices.Show worked answer →
This question links two parts of a label to consumer needs.
Nutritional information shows the energy and the amounts of fat, saturates, sugar, salt and other nutrients, often per 100 g and per portion. It helps a health-conscious consumer compare products and choose lower-fat, lower-sugar or lower-salt options, and helps someone with a condition such as diabetes manage their diet.
Allergen labelling emphasises allergens (such as nuts, milk, eggs, gluten) in the ingredients list. It helps a consumer with an allergy or intolerance avoid foods that could make them ill, which can be a serious safety matter.
A further point that scores is that front-of-pack traffic-light colours make it quicker to compare products at a glance. Markers reward the link between each label feature and the consumer who uses it.
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Sources & how we know this
- SQA National 5 Health and Food Technology Course Specification — SQA (2017)
- Food Standards Scotland - Food labelling — Food Standards Scotland (2023)