Some UK food and drink labels carry a specific warning because they
contain one or more of six named colours. It is easy to confuse that
statement with the red, amber and green nutrition label, or with general
claims about E numbers. They are different things.
This guide is about the wording on the pack: which six colours are
covered, where to find them, and what the statement does—and does
not—tell you.
The six colours are:
Food and drink containing any of these colours must carry the
prescribed warning: “may have an adverse effect on activity and
attention in children.” The legislation lists the six colours
and the required additional information. Food
Additives Regulation, Annex V
That is the wording to use when reading a label. It is a labelling
requirement for these named colours; it is not a conclusion about a
particular food, a statement about an individual child, or a description
of all food colourings.
Look in the ingredients list. A manufacturer may name the colour,
show its E number, or use both. The warning may appear close to the
ingredient information rather than on the front of the pack.
Do not confuse it with front-of-pack nutrition traffic lights. Those
red, amber and green colours refer to nutrients such as fat, saturates,
sugars and salt. They are a separate voluntary display system. NHS:
how to read food labels
The quickest practical method is:
It does not mean every colour additive carries this warning. It does
not mean a product with an E number is inherently unsafe, and it does
not tell you whether a food will agree with a particular person.
It also does not turn an ingredient list into an intolerance test.
Food labels are valuable factual information, but a single difficult
episode after eating is not enough to identify a cause. If there is a
repeated concern, note the product and the full ingredient list rather
than focusing on one number.
Most importantly, do not use the warning to label a child, predict
behaviour or make a health decision without appropriate advice. The
responsible interpretation is the narrow one: the pack carries the
wording because the law requires it for those six colours.
Ingredient lists can help you compare like with like. On pre-packed
foods, ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. The 14
regulated allergens must also be emphasised, such as in bold type; a
colour warning is not the same thing as an allergen declaration. NHS:
food labels
If a person has a diagnosed allergy, follow the advice specific to
that allergy and use the allergen information on the pack. A warning
about these colours is not a substitute for that information.
For foods sold loose, ask the business for the allergen information
that applies to the item. The colour warning topic does not remove the
need to check that separate information.
Imagine comparing two similar sweets. One contains E102 and displays
the statutory warning. The other uses different colouring ingredients.
The accurate conclusion is only that the first product contains a colour
covered by the rule and the second does not, based on the labels you
have read.
It would not be accurate to assume that the first product explains a
symptom, that the second is “healthy”, or that either product is right
for every child. The rest of the ingredient list, the context and any
individual medical advice still matter.
This narrow reading is useful when shopping with someone else too.
You can point out the exact wording on the pack without turning it into
a judgement about that person, their parenting or their health. If a
school, nursery or family member needs information, share the current
product label and follow any individual clinical plan rather than
relying on memory of an E-number list.
If eating is followed by rapid swelling of the lips, mouth, tongue or
throat, breathing difficulty, wheeze, faintness or a severe rapidly
worsening reaction, seek emergency help. Those are not problems to solve
with a label comparison.
For non-emergency, repeat concerns, keep the pack or photograph the
ingredients and discuss the pattern with a pharmacist, GP or dietitian.
A clear record is more useful than a list of foods to avoid on
speculation.
The UK warning applies to six specifically named colours. Read it as
a legal label statement, exactly as written. Keep it separate from
nutrition traffic lights, allergen information and any assumption about
an individual’s reaction.
Related reading: Food Intolerances A–Z.
This website and our hair analysis does not make a medical diagnosis nor any medical claims. The information on this site is intended to provide nutritional advice for dietary optimisation. There is no guarantee of the specific results experienced by our reviewers and by our testimonials results can vary. IntoleranceLab do not claim to treat or cure symptoms and any reports generated by the testing need to be discussed with a medical practitioner. Reliance on any information provided by this website is solely at own risk
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