What are the 'big 7' on a nutrition label?

Energy, fat, saturates, carbohydrate, sugars, protein and salt, declared per 100 g or 100 ml.

Do restaurants need nutrition labels?

Not under EU rules for non-prepacked food, unless national rules require it. Some countries, such as England for large businesses, require calorie labelling on menus.

How is salt calculated on labels?

Salt is calculated as sodium multiplied by 2.5, under Annex I of the regulation.

Can nutrition values be shown per portion?

Yes, in addition to per 100 g or 100 ml values, and in some cases instead, as set out in Article 33.

What are reference intakes?

Reference amounts for an average adult, such as 2,000 kcal of energy per day, set out in Annex XIII and used to show percentages on labels.

The EU nutrition declaration: what Articles 30 to 35 of 1169/2011 require

By the Menulta editorial team · Facts checked 15 October 2026 · Updated 15 October 2026

The short answer

Under Articles 30 to 35 of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, most prepacked food must carry a nutrition declaration showing energy, fat, saturates, carbohydrate, sugars, protein and salt, often called the 'big 7', per 100 g or per 100 ml. It may be supplemented with certain other nutrients and per-portion values, and with reference intakes. Non-prepacked food, such as restaurant dishes, does not need a nutrition declaration under the EU regulation unless national rules require it.

The mandatory nutrition declaration

Article 30(1) sets the mandatory content: energy value and the amounts of fat, saturates, carbohydrate, sugars, protein and salt. These must be expressed per 100 g or per 100 ml, in the units set out in Annex XV: kilojoules and kilocalories for energy, grams for nutrients.

The mandatory nutrition declaration ('big 7')
Nutrient	Unit	Notes
Energy	kJ / kcal	Both units required
Fat	g
of which saturates	g
Carbohydrate	g
of which sugars	g	Includes all mono- and disaccharides
Protein	g
Salt	g	Calculated as sodium × 2.5

Optional additions

Article 30(2) allows the declaration to be supplemented with one or more of: monounsaturates, polyunsaturates, polyols, starch, fibre, and vitamins or minerals present in significant amounts. Per-portion values may be added alongside per 100 g values, and percentages of reference intakes may be shown, using the reference intakes in Annex XIII, such as 8,400 kJ / 2,000 kcal for energy for an average adult.

On the front of pack, energy alone, or energy with fat, saturates, sugars and salt, may be repeated in the principal field of vision, under Article 30(3).

Exemptions

Annex V lists foods exempt from the mandatory nutrition declaration, including unprocessed single-ingredient products, waters, herbs and spices, salt, tea and coffee, vinegars, food in packaging whose largest surface is less than 25 cm², and food, including handcrafted food, directly supplied by the manufacturer in small quantities to the final consumer or to local retail establishments directly supplying the final consumer. Alcoholic drinks above 1.2% are also exempt under Article 16(4), though voluntary energy labelling is common.

Restaurants and nutrition information

Non-prepacked food is exempt from the mandatory nutrition declaration at EU level under Article 44, unless a Member State adopts national rules. If a restaurant chooses to provide nutrition information voluntarily, Article 30(5) allows it to be limited to energy alone, or energy plus fat, saturates, sugars and salt, and Articles 31 to 35 govern how values are calculated and presented.

Some countries have introduced their own measures for out-of-home calorie labelling. For example, in England, larger food businesses with 250 or more employees have had to display calorie information on menus since April 2022 under national regulations. Check national rules where you operate.

How values are calculated

Article 31 says declared values are average values based on the manufacturer's analysis, a calculation from known or actual average values of the ingredients, or a calculation from generally established and accepted data. Energy is calculated using the conversion factors in Annex XIV, for example 37 kJ (9 kcal) per gram of fat and 17 kJ (4 kcal) per gram of carbohydrate or protein.

For restaurants providing voluntary calorie information, calculation from recipes using reliable nutrient databases is the usual approach. Portions must be consistent for the figures to be meaningful.

Nutrition information on digital menus

Digital menus make it easy to show voluntary nutrition information, such as calories, next to each dish. If you do, base figures on standardised recipes and portions, review them when recipes change, and say the figures are approximate. Do not show nutrition figures that suggest health benefits the dish does not have, which would conflict with Article 7 and the health claims rules.

Nutrition claims

Words such as 'low fat', 'high protein' or 'sugar free' are nutrition claims governed by Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, which sets precise conditions for each claim. A menu that calls a dish 'low fat' must meet the legal definition. If you are not sure a dish qualifies, describe the ingredients instead of making a claim.

Sources

This guide is general information, not medical or legal advice. Guests with an allergy should follow their doctor's advice. Operators should confirm their own setup with their food safety adviser or local authority.