You’ve probably glanced at a traffic light label salt box, seen a red, amber, or green circle, and thought, “That looks bad… or is it?” Those dots are meant to help, yet they often leave people more confused than reassured.
This guide walks you through what those colours really mean, how the numbers are calculated, and the traps that make a product look healthier than it is. By the end, you’ll be able to scan any pack and know exactly how salty it is for you, not just on paper.
What The Traffic Light Colours Actually Mean
On red amber green food labels uk, the traffic light for salt is based on how much salt there is per 100g (or 100ml) of the product. That “per 100g” part matters more than most people realise.
The usual cut-offs used on UK front-of-pack labels are:
- Low (green): 0.3g salt or less per 100g
- Medium (amber): More than 0.3g and up to 1.5g salt per 100g
- High (red): More than 1.5g salt per 100g
So a red label doesn’t mean “never eat this again”. It means “this has a lot of salt per 100g, so portion size and frequency really matter”. Green, on the other hand, doesn’t make a food automatically healthy, but it does tell you salt isn’t the main issue.
Salt Vs Sodium On The Label
One big source of confusion is salt vs sodium on label. UK traffic light labels show salt, but many nutrition panels in the US and some other regions list sodium instead.
They’re not the same thing. Salt is sodium plus chloride. To convert sodium to salt, you multiply by 2.5. For example, 400mg sodium is about 1g salt. If you shop across borders or buy imported foods, this difference can seriously throw off your reading.
How To Spot Sodium When You Expect Salt
If the panel only lists sodium and there’s no coloured circle, treat 600mg sodium per 100g as roughly the “high” line, similar to that 1.5g salt per 100g cut-off. That rule of thumb helps you apply UK front of pack labelling logic even when colours aren’t there.
When we break down labels in our traffic light guides, we always show both sodium and salt so you can compare like-for-like without needing a calculator.
How Much Salt Is “High” On A Label?
Many people ask how much salt is high on a label because the numbers can look small in isolation. The red/amber/green cut-offs are based on those per 100g values, but your risk comes from how much you actually eat.
A few examples:
- A snack marked red for salt might be 2g per 100g, but if you only eat 25g, that’s 0.5g salt.
- A soup with amber salt at 0.9g per 100g but a 400g serving gives you 3.6g salt from that bowl alone.
That’s why it’s smart to check both the per 100g value and the “per serving” row, then compare the serving to what you realistically eat, not the perfect portion on the box.
Quick 10-Second Salt Check
When you’re short on time, use this simple scan:
- Check the colour: red means think twice, amber means moderate, green means low for salt.
- Glance at per 100g: is it over 1.5g salt?
- Check your real serving: are you likely to eat more than one suggested portion?
Those three steps give you a clearer view than the colour alone and help you compare similar foods on the shelf quickly.
How UK Front-Of-Pack Labelling Compares Globally
The uk front of pack labelling system is colour-based, which makes it easier for many shoppers, but traffic lights aren’t used everywhere. In some countries, you’ll only see a monochrome panel. Others use warning symbols or different words for salt.
For people in the US, Canada, Spain, Italy, Germany, and France who buy imported British products, that mix of formats can be confusing. A UK cereal box might shout an amber traffic light for salt, while a domestic product on the next shelf lists only sodium in milligrams.
Common Traps When Comparing Products From Different Countries
Three things cause the biggest mix-ups: grams vs milligrams, salt vs sodium, and different serving sizes. A sauce from one country might base its serving on a tablespoon, another on a half cup, making side-by-side comparison unfair.
To avoid being misled, always bring it back to the per 100g values. Once everything is on the same footing, colour labels and plain panels suddenly tell the same story.
How Food Companies Make Salt Look Lower Than It Is
Food labels follow rules, but they still leave room for marketing tricks that soften how salty something looks. One common method is shrinking the serving size so the per serving salt looks modest even when the per 100g number would earn a bright red circle.
Light, reduced, or “better choice” claims can distract from the small red traffic light icon tucked in the corner. If you only look at the front slogans without checking the traffic light box, you may think you’re choosing a low-salt option when you’re not.
Spotting Misleading Salt Claims Quickly
When a pack boasts about being “light” or “less salt”, compare it to a similar standard version. If both still sit in the red category for salt per 100g, the improvement might be minor.
Also check if the product is something you eat regularly or in large portions. A slightly salty sauce you use once a week is one thing; a daily lunch option with a red salt label makes a much bigger dent in your overall intake.
Using Traffic Light Labels To Cut Salt Without Overthinking
The goal isn’t to turn every shop into a maths lesson. Traffic lights can be a quick filter that nudges your basket toward fewer high-salt choices over the week rather than perfect choices every time.
A practical approach many families find manageable is to pick a few “swap targets”: breakfast cereals, bread, and ready meals are good places to start. Move these from red to amber or from amber to green for salt where you can, and you’ll shift your intake more than obsessing over every condiment.
When To Talk To A Professional
If you have high blood pressure, kidney disease, or heart concerns, general label rules are only a starting point. Your doctor or dietitian may set stricter personal limits and help you decide how to use traffic light labels alongside other nutrition information.
Write down the salt per 100g from a few foods you eat every day and bring that list to your next appointment. It makes the conversation more concrete and the advice more tailored to what actually ends up on your plate.
Conclusion
Traffic light label salt guidance is meant to simplify choices, but it only works if you know what sits behind each colour and number. Once you look at per 100g, your real portion, and whether the label shows salt or sodium, marketing tricks lose most of their power.
At Salt Wise, we focus on helping you make those quick, confident calls across different countries’ packaging, so the next time you pick up a pack, you can spot a salty option in seconds and choose what truly suits you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What does a red traffic light mean for salt on UK food labels?
Ans. A red traffic light for salt means the product has a high salt content per 100g, usually more than 1.5g. It doesn’t mean you can never eat it, but it signals you should watch your portion size and how often you choose it, especially if you already eat a lot of packaged foods.
Q2. How can I compare salt on UK traffic light labels with US sodium labels?
Ans. To compare UK salt labels with US sodium labels, convert sodium to salt by multiplying by 2.5. For example, 400mg sodium equals about 1g salt. Then use UK-style cut-offs: around 1.5g salt per 100g counts as high, so any product above that is in the “red” territory for salt.
Q3. Is amber for salt on food labels okay to eat every day?
Ans. Amber for salt is a medium level, so it can fit into most people’s diets if the rest of their day isn’t packed with salty foods. The key is looking at how much you actually eat. Large portions of several amber products can push your total salt intake high without any single item being red.
Q4. Why do some products show sodium and not salt on the label?
Ans. Some countries require labels to list sodium rather than salt because sodium is the mineral linked directly to blood pressure. Food makers follow their local rules, so imported foods may not match what you’re used to. Converting sodium to salt using the 2.5 factor helps keep your comparisons consistent.
Q5. How much salt per day is too much for most adults?
Ans. Most health guidelines suggest adults aim for no more than about 6g of salt per day, but some countries recommend less. That includes salt already in food plus what you add at the table. People with high blood pressure or kidney problems may be advised to go lower, based on medical advice.
Q6. Are traffic light labels used outside the UK?
Ans. Traffic light labels are mainly used in the UK and a few other places, but many countries choose different systems like monochrome tables or warning icons. If you live outside the UK and see a traffic light label on an imported product, you can still use the colours as a quick guide to compare options.
