Reading nutrition labels to get better grocery value in Australia

Nutrition labels are a value tool as well as a health tool

Most shoppers who read nutrition labels do so for health reasons — checking sugar, sodium or fat content. The same panel is also useful for comparing actual value between products, because pack sizes and serving suggestions can make two products look similar in price when the useful content per serve is quite different.

This guide covers the value-comparison side of nutrition labels. For dietary or health decisions, work with a qualified professional.

The serving size trap

Nutrition information panels in Australia are presented per 100 g (or per 100 ml for liquids) and per serving. The "per serving" column uses the manufacturer's suggested serving size, which varies significantly between brands even for the same product type.

A breakfast cereal that lists 30 g as a serving and a competitor that lists 45 g as a serving are not directly comparable on the "per serving" column alone. Use the per 100 g column for any honest comparison between products.

Protein content and cost per gram of protein

For protein-containing foods — yoghurt, cheese, legumes, meat alternatives, protein bars — comparing price per gram of protein gives a more useful figure than price per 100 g of product. A Greek yoghurt with 10 g of protein per 100 g costs more per gram of protein than a product with 7 g, all else being equal.

The calculation is straightforward: divide the price per 100 g by the protein content per 100 g to get cost per gram of protein. This is particularly useful when comparing Greek yoghurt brands, plant-based milks, or muesli bars.

Fibre and satiety

For foods where feeling full matters — breakfast cereals, bread, crackers, legume-based products — higher fibre content per 100 g can mean smaller portions are needed to achieve the same satiety. A higher-fibre product at a slightly higher price per 100 g may offer better value per meal if you eat less of it.

Comparing breakfast cereals fairly

This is one of the most misleading categories for value. A premium branded cereal at a high price per 100 g may look poor value until you note that its suggested serving is 30 g while a cheaper competitor suggests 45 g. Calculate the cost per 30 g serve across products to compare like for like.

Rolled oats are almost always the best value per gram of usable nutrition in the breakfast aisle — no serving size manipulation, cheap per 100 g and high in fibre and protein relative to most packaged cereals.

Where unit pricing and nutrition labels work together

The shelf unit price (per 100 g) tells you what you pay per unit of product. The nutrition label tells you what you get per unit of product. Together they give a cost-per-nutrient figure that is more useful than either alone for repeat grocery decisions.

Run a search on TrolleyChecker to compare shelf prices across chains, then apply the nutrition label comparison in-store or from the retailer's own app.