‘Low’ or ‘reduced’? Navigating similar-sounding claims on food labels

It’s not necessarily the responsibility of a company to explain what it takes to reach a certain level of certification on its food labels. But food producers should display their contents in a way that convinces consumers to make the buy. The editors of Consumer Reports recently commented on some confusing, seemingly contradictory designations that sound similar but mean different things.

For example, the way that brands describe the absence of a certain ingredient makes a difference, since saying something has a “reduced” amount is not the same thing as saying that it has a “low” amount. “Low sodium” products contain less than those labeled as “reduced sodium,” and similarly, “low fat” means that there is a lower level of fats than in something that is simply “reduced fat.”

From a manufacturer’s standpoint, it is critical that any claims on the packaging of food products are reinforced by the actual contents. If you aren’t careful, you can make a claim that misleads customers.

Also, the meaning of terms like “low sodium” can change over time as new research emerges and requires companies to adopt a different tactic. Some medical experts are still unsure about whether “low sodium” constitutes a healthy alternative.

Writing for Forbes, Larry Husten notes that organizations like the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology and the American Heart association disagree over what the correct amount of sodium intake should be.

If your business is unsure about the language needed to convey an ingredient level, it’s wise to choose another tactic or briefly explain it with an accompanying label. Either way, the right industrial label solutions will allow companies to keep pace and stay accurate.