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Reading Food Labels
Read UK food labels quickly and confidently in the shop
- 1 hour 50 minself-paced
- 6modules
- 4interactive tools
- Certificatewhen you pass
What you will be able to do
- find the key information on any UK prepacked food label.
- explain how traffic-light colours are set and use them to compare similar products.
- use per 100g, per portion and Reference Intakes correctly.
- spot added sugars and salt in an ingredients list, including their other names.
- check what nutrition claims such as 'low fat' and 'reduced sugar' legally mean.
- find allergen information and use date labels safely.
- use a 30-second label routine to make healthier swaps in your weekly shop.
About this course
Food labels are full of useful facts, but between traffic lights, percentages, claims and small print, it is hard to know where to look. This course shows you how to read UK food labels quickly and confidently, so you can make better choices in the time it takes to pick up a pack.
You will learn how the traffic-light colours are worked out, how to use per 100g and Reference Intakes, how to spot added sugars and salt in ingredients lists, what claims like 'low fat' and 'reduced sugar' really mean, how allergens are shown, and the difference between 'use by' and 'best before'. Then you will put it all together in a simple 30-second shopping routine.
It is for anyone who wants to eat better, shop for a family or check products for allergies. Four tools come with it: a traffic-light cheat card, a label comparison worksheet, an ingredients list decoder and a sugar, salt and fat thresholds card.
Course modules
6 modules-
1Getting to know the label
What UK food labels must show, where to find it, and how per 100g, per portion and Reference Intakes work.
- What is on a UK food label
- Per 100g versus per portion
- Reference Intakes and percentages
Label comparison worksheetSugar, salt and fat thresholds card
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2The traffic-light label
How the red, amber and green colours are worked out, how to use them quickly, and what they cannot tell you.
- How the colours are set
- Reading a traffic light in five seconds
- What traffic lights do not tell you
Traffic-light label cheat cardSugar, salt and fat thresholds card
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3The back-of-pack nutrition table
How to read each line of the nutrition table, compare products fairly and look closely at sugars, fibre and salt.
- Reading the nutrition table line by line
- Comparing two products fairly
- A closer look at sugars, fibre and salt
Label comparison worksheetSugar, salt and fat thresholds card
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4Decoding the ingredients list
How ingredients are ordered, how to spot added sugars and salt under other names, and how allergens are shown.
- Order by weight and percentage labels
- Added sugars and salt under other names
- Allergens, 'may contain' and additives
Ingredients list decoder
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5Claims, marketing words and date labels
What nutrition claims legally mean, which marketing words have no set meaning, and how to use date labels safely.
- Nutrition claims decoded
- Marketing words and front-of-pack tricks
- Use by, best before and storage
Sugar, salt and fat thresholds cardIngredients list decoder
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6Labels in real life
A quick shopping routine, label tips for family foods and drinks, and how to find information on menus, online and on loose foods.
- Your 30-second shopping routine
- Family foods: cereals, yoghurts, snacks and drinks
- Labels beyond the supermarket shelf
Traffic-light label cheat cardLabel comparison worksheet
Tools included
Saved to your account, downloadable as PDF- CardsTraffic-light label cheat cardPocket cards that show how to read a UK front-of-pack traffic-light label in seconds and what it leaves out.
- TemplateLabel comparison worksheetCompare two similar products side by side per 100g and record which one you will buy and why.
- ListIngredients list decoderA checklist of names to look for in ingredients lists, so you can spot added sugars, salt, allergens and marketing words quickly.
- CardsSugar, salt and fat thresholds cardQuick-reference cards with the UK traffic-light thresholds, Reference Intakes, daily limits and nutrition claim rules.
Who this course is for
- Adults who want to eat more healthily without spending longer shopping
- Parents and carers choosing food for children
- People cutting down on sugar, salt or saturated fat
- People shopping for someone with a food allergy
Check with a health professional first if
- If you have a medical condition that needs a special diet, such as kidney disease, diabetes, coeliac disease or a food allergy, follow the advice of your GP, specialist team or NHS dietitian. This course explains labels but does not set targets for medical diets.
Your certificate
Answer at least 7 of the 10 final questions correctly and your certificate is ready to download straight away, with your name, the course and a verification ID anyone can check.
A certificate of completion shows you finished a general education course. It is not a professional qualification.
Certificate of completion
Your name
Reading Food Labels, 6 modules, completed 6 October 2026
Dr Aqsa Mukhtiar, PhD in Nutrition
Course authorID MNC-4K7Q-2Z9P
Verify at mynutricare.co.uk
Course authorID MNC-4K7Q-2Z9P
Verify at mynutricare.co.uk
Questions about this course
Do all UK foods have a traffic-light label?
No. The front-of-pack traffic-light label is voluntary. Most big supermarkets use it, but some brands do not. The course shows you how to work out the colours from the nutrition table on the back.
Is this course about counting calories?
No. It covers calories (energy) as one part of the label, but focuses on reading sugars, salt, fat, fibre, ingredients, claims, allergens and dates to make better everyday choices.
Will the course help with food allergies?
It explains how the 14 major allergens and 'may contain' warnings are shown on UK labels. If you or your child has an allergy, always follow the advice of your GP or allergy team.
How long does it take?
About 2 hours in total, in six short modules. You can do a module at a time and practise in your next shop.
What do I get with this course?
6 modules with 18 short lessons (about 1 hour 50 minutes in total) and 4 interactive tools, including the Traffic-light label cheat card, Label comparison worksheet and Ingredients list decoder. Your tool results save to My Progress. A 10-question final check ends the course; score 7 or more for your certificate. Written by Dr Aqsa Mukhtiar, PhD in Nutrition.