Implemented policies to address fat intake

Limitations of TFA content in foods

• Regulation (EU) 2019/649 limits iTFA to a maximum of 2 grams per 100 grams of fat in food intended for the final consumer and food supplied to retail (EC 2019 (pdf)).
• Individual EU Member States specify restrictions for TFA content of foods served in public procurement settings (JRC 2024):
  • In Sweden, TFA content in foods served in school should be as low as possible. 
  • In Slovenia, food served in public catering TFA should not exceed 1% of total energy.
• EU wide TFA limit of 3% of total fat in infant and follow-on formula ( EC 2016 (pdf)).

• TFA limit on of 2 g per 100 g of total fat content.

• Sale of products exceeding TFA content of 2 g/100 g of total fat is prohibited.

• TFA limit of 2 g per 100 g of vegetable oil or fat.

• Trans fats must not exceed 2% of total fat in all foods, including raw materials and ingredients. The use of partially hydrogenated oils is also banned. 

• Iran has progressively tightened its trans fat regulations. Since 2016, the country has enforced a maximum trans fat limit of 2% in oils.

• Limit of 2% TFA in pre-packaged edible fats and oils for sale or use as an ingredient in the preparation of foods.

• Since September 2018, Canada has banned partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs), the main source of industrial trans fats. Food producers can no longer add them to products sold in the country.

• Prohibition of sale, manufacturing and import of oils or fats, alone or as part of processed foods, that exceed TFA content of 2 g/100 g, across retail, catering, restaurants, bakeries and institutions.

• In 2015, the FDA removed the Generally Recognised As Safe (GRAS) status of partially hydrogenated oils, the primary source of iTFA in foods. The FDA set a compliance deadline of 2021, allowing manufacturers time to reformulate products without PHOs or to petition for specific permitted uses of PHOs.

Limitations of total fat content in foods

• Carcasses and cuts of pork and beef should contain no more than 25% fat by mass, poultry no more than 15% fat by mass and lamb no more than 30% fat.

Public procurement and school food policies

• Various EU Member States school food policies include voluntary or mandatory standards that limit or forbid provision of foods high in fat in school restaurants and canteens. Examples include recommendations or requirements for use of low-fat foods, restrictions on what type of fats/oils to be used in cooking, and reference points for fat content of foods/meals for lunch or other meal times. Most school food policies recommend a daily total fat intake of 25-35 E%, and some countries also have specific instructions for preferring vegetable oils over animal fat and limiting specifically the intake of SFA or TFA (JRC 2014 (pdf)).
• In public procurement settings, fourteen EU member states encourage limiting fat consumption, particularly the consumption of saturated fats. Most of these countries recommend the consumption of low-fat meat and dairy instead of their full fat version and the use of high-quality vegetable oil (mostly rapeseed oil) (JRC 2024).
• The EU fruit and vegetable and milk scheme, financed through the EU's Common Agricultural Policy provides fruit, vegetables and milk to children in schools, aiming to increase their consumption. Among the criteria established, products to be distributed to schools should aim to have no added fat. Products containing limited quantities of added fat may be allowed if authorised by the relevant national health/nutrition authorities ( DG AGRI, EU 2016 (pdf)).

• The 'Smart Choices' school standards use a nutrient profiling system based on energy, sugar, sodium, fibre and SFA content. 'Red' category foods should only be supplied on one or two occasions per term.

• According to new guidance 'At least two thirds of fats contained in the meals served in university canteens should be unsaturated fats while saturated fats should be less than 10% of the meals’ total energy'.

• The Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act sets standards for the national school lunch and breakfast programmes. For example, Smart Snack standards limit total fat content in the snack or main course meals to maximum 35% and 10% of calories, while TFA should be absent (0 g).

Social support programmes

• Government subsidised milk distribution to low-income households provides mainly low-fat milk.

Fat-related taxes

• Denmark excise duty of 16 DKK/kg (approx. 2.15€) of saturated fat on meat, dairy products and animal fats and vegetable oils containing more than 2.3% SFA, applying to producers with yearly revenue of more than 50000 DKK (approx. 6700€). Tax was introduced in Oct 2011 and abolished in Jan 2013.

• In 2020, Ethiopia introduced an excise tax on certain food products, including fats and oils with high levels of saturated and trans fats. Margarine containing high levels of saturated or trans fat is taxed at 50%. Hydrogenated fats and oils with high saturated or trans fat content, or without clear labelling, are taxed at 40%. A 30% tax applies to non-hydrogenated fats and oils if they contain high levels of saturated fat or if this information is not provided.

• 1$ tax per kg of animal fat in Tonga.

• In 2000, Fiji implemented a sales ban on mutton flaps due to their very high fat content and minimal meat content.

• Kerala state government implemented a 'fat tax' on pizzas, burgers and similar foods in branded restaurants in 2016. The tax lasted 11 months.

Food marketing restrictions

• Various Member states have implemented policies to limit marketing to foods high in fats to children. See 'Food Marketing to Children' for a detailed analysis.

• In the US, the Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative is a major industry self-regulatory effort to restrict marketing of foods that are high in sugar, salt and fats to children. See 'Food Marketing to Children'  for a detailed analysis 

Food reformulation

• Several countries have introduced voluntary reformulation initiatives in collaboration with the food industry. These efforts aim, among other nutrients, to reduce the content of total fat, saturated fat, and trans fats in selected food categories.

• The UK Calorie Reduction Programme is a nationwide voluntary reformulation initiative aimed at reducing the calorie content of manufactured food products. The programme also encourages reducing saturated fat as a key strategy for lowering overall calorie levels. 

Retail initiatives

• In New York city, staff from the Department of Health collaborate with shop owners in areas with high rates of obesity, with the aim of making available in food stores and encourage sales of low-salt and no-sugar-added canned foods, as well as low-fat milk alternatives.

Labelling legislation

• Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 on food information to consumers requires mandatory nutrition declaration for the amounts of fats and saturated fats (in g per 100 g of product), in prepacked foods. The above mandatory information may be supplemented with an indication of the amounts of MUFA and PUFA ( EC 2011).
• Under Regulation (EU) 1924/2006 for health and nutrition claims made on foods, fat-related nutrition claims permitted are: fat free/low, saturated fat free/low, source of omega-3 fatty acids, high unsaturated, monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat ( EC 2006). 

• Mandatory calorie labelling was introduced for food prepared in the out-of-home sector in businesses with more than 250 employees as part of efforts to address obesity. Food businesses are encouraged to lower calorie content by reducing fat and modifying frying practices, as well as to decrease saturated fat levels. 

• Health claims are not permitted on foods that contain, per reference amount customarily consumed or per labelling serving size (exceptions apply) more than a set amount of 'disqualifying nutrient levels', i.e. 13g of total fats, 4 g of SFA, and 60 mg of cholesterol.

• Health claims are not permitted on foods that do not meet specific nutrient profile criteria, e.g. foods high in saturated fats

• TFA content labelling obligatory in various countries, with various specific requirements (e.g. per 100 g or per serving, content threshold under which TFA labelling can be listed as zero, e.g. 0.3 or 0.5 g per serving)

• Foods exceeding specific limits in calories, sugar, sodium as well as SFA content must carry a black octagon front of pack warning sign that reads 'HIGH IN'. More than one of these warnings is possible on the same product.

• Nutrition or health claims may only be used on processed foods or beverages that do not exceed certain fats thresholds per serving.

• All chain restaurants with 100 or more establishments are required to display nutrient information on menus including energy, total sugars, protein, sodium and SFA.

• In the US, total fat, SFA, cholesterol and TFA content (in grams per serving) should be listed in nutrition labelling. For SFA and cholesterol the calorie % of the serving, related to the daily calorie recommended value (E%), should also be listed. The 2016 US Nutrition Facts Label regulation revision removed the declaration of % of calories from total fat, because 'current science supports a view that the type of fat is more relevant than overall total fat intake in increased risk of chronic diseases'.
• US legislation permits, but does not require, the declaration of MUFA or PUFA on the nutrition facts label.
• Nutrient content claims in the US are limited to an FDA approved list of nutrients. Packages bearing a nutrient claim must include a disclosure statement if the food serving contains more than set threshold values of sodium, fats, saturated fats and cholesterol (13 g, 4 g and 60 mg, respectively).
• Health claims are not permitted for foods with values above the specific thresholds for sodium, fat, saturated fat and cholesterol.

Voluntary labelling

• The Keyhole health logo labelling system by the Swedish National Food Agency used in Scandinavian countries. It is based on a nutrient profile model and aims to identify healthier packaged food choices within a food category, and to stimulate food manufacturers to reformulate and develop healthier products. Total fat, SFA and TFA content are among the nutrient criteria, and thresholds depend on the product category.

• Nutri-Score is a voluntary front-of-pack labelling system that rates foods based on their overall nutritional composition. The scheme discourages high saturated fat contents by assigning negative points depending on the saturated fat content per 100 g of food product.

• 'Healthy Living' is a voluntary labelling scheme with nutrient profiles for different food categories. The scheme is used as a benchmark for public health campaigns but also as a scientific basis for a national initiative on food marketing restraints. The scheme includes limits for SFA (grams per 100g of product, amount depending on food categories) and trans fats (for spreads, limit of 1g/100g).

• The Traffic Light front of pack voluntary labelling scheme proposed by the UK Food Standards Agency aims to assist consumers in identifying healthier food choices. It uses colour-coding related to low, medium or high content (per 100 g or ml) of selected nutrients in foods, including total fat and SFA. For total fat, the following thresholds are green/low: ≤3 g, amber/medium: 3 -20 g, red/high: >20 g. For SFA, the following thresholds are green/low: ≤ 1.5 g, amber/medium: 1.5 -5 g, red/high: >5.0 g.

• Government implemented Health Star Rating (HSR) system as a voluntary labelling scheme for industry adoption. The system takes into account aspects of a food associated with increasing risk for chronic diseases, including SFA.

• Ministry of Health developed a voluntary menu labelling for fast food chain restaurants. Nutrients are mostly displayed per portion and include calories, protein, carbohydrates, salt, sugar and fat.

Public health campaign

• The Healthier Families campaign aims to improve diets and physical activity in the UK. A key component of the campaign focuses on reducing SFA consumption while encouraging consumption of unsaturated fats, offering practical examples of how to achieve this.