Since 2005, SEVT as member of FoodDrinkEurope is voluntarily implementing the so-called “Guideline Daily Amount (GDA) scheme”, a labelling scheme initiative that provides consumers with valuable information on the nutrient content of foods. Because of new European legislation, food labels have changed and the new term “Reference Intakes” (“RI”) instead of “GDA” is being introduced; however, the commitment to provide this information remains the same.

What are Reference Intakes?

• Factual and Informative: They provide consumers with nutrition information about food, empowering them to make their own judgement based on their dietary needs
• Objective: RIs are science-based; they have been proposed by the European Food Safety Authority and they are formalised under European law.
• Clear and User-friendly: RIs offer meaningful information in a clear and simple format.

Reference Intakes (RIs), also known as GDAs, is the new term for the nutrition icon(s) that can be found on the front of pack of several food products. RIs display how many calories and how much sugar, fat, saturated fat and salt is contained in each portion of the products and what each amount represents as a percentage of an average person’s daily dietary needs. What a person needs in terms of energy and nutrients varies depending on age, weight, height, gender and the level of physical activity. As such, the information provided by the Reference Intakes serves as a guide only and is not to be considered as individualized advice.

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