The analysis draws on the Food and Beverages Label Explorer (FABLE), an online tool that gives access to product-level label data collected through EU-funded projects. Total sugars in breakfast cereals ranged from 1 g to 28 g per 100 g, and saturated fat in delicatessen meats from below 1 g to 14 g per 100 g. Sugars fell substantially in breakfast cereals in most countries compared with earlier data points, but total and saturated fats increased in the same category, showing that improvement in one nutrient can be offset by another.

Compared with WHO and EFSA intake recommendations, some products contribute heavily to daily limits: 2 to 3 slices of ham in a sandwich and 2 slices of bacon in a salad would already reach 40% of the maximum daily salt intake from the deli meat alone. The JRC concludes that reformulation should be targeted at the sub-categories with the greatest potential impact and should address nutrient quality holistically rather than one nutrient at a time.

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