How to read nutrition labels in Australia
Use the per 100 g column to compare foods and the per serve column to see what you will eat. Energy is in kilojoules, and ingredients are listed from most to least by weight.
Updated 21 October 2026. Sources named on the page.
- Which column to use and when
- The lines on the panel in plain words
- Ingredients and the Health Star Rating
- Converting kJ to calories
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Need calories?
Convert any kilojoule figure from a label into calories.
The panel at a glance
A nutrition information panel lists the same lines for most packaged foods.
The lines
| Line | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Servings per package and serve size | How many serves the pack holds and the amount the figures are for |
| Energy | In kilojoules (kJ), per serve and per 100 g or 100 mL |
| Protein | Grams of protein |
| Fat, total and saturated | Total fat and the saturated part of it |
| Carbohydrate and sugars | Total carbohydrate and the sugars within it |
| Sodium | Salt in milligrams |
Sources: Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), nutrition information panel requirements; Health Star Rating system, Australian Government
Figures and sources checked 21 October 2026. General information, not medical advice.
Per serve or per 100 g?
The per serve column shows what you will eat if you have one serve. The per 100 g (or 100 mL) column lets you compare two products fairly, even when their serve sizes differ.
Energy in kilojoules
Australian labels show energy in kJ. To get calories, divide by 4.184. A food with 1,000 kJ per serve has about 239 kcal per serve.
Sugars and sodium
Sugars include sugars that occur naturally, such as in milk and fruit, as well as added sugars. Sodium is a guide to salt. Compare products using the per 100 g column.
The ingredient list
Ingredients are listed from the largest amount by weight to the smallest. The first few tell you most of what is in the food.
The Health Star Rating
Some packs show a star rating from half a star to five stars. It is a quick way to compare similar foods in the same category, not a verdict on one food. It is not on every product.
Questions
What does per 100 g mean?
The figures are for 100 grams of the food (or 100 mL of a drink), so products can be compared on equal terms.
How do I turn kJ into calories?
Divide by 4.184. For a quick estimate, divide by 4.
Is a higher star rating always better?
It compares similar foods within a category. It is a quick guide, not a full picture of a diet.
What is the 8,700 kJ on some labels?
It is the average adult daily intake used as a reference so foods can be compared, not a target for you.
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