How to Scan Food Labels With Your Phone in the UK

How Does Food Label Scanning Work?

Every packaged food product sold in the UK carries a barcode — usually an EAN-13 (European Article Number) with 13 digits. When you scan this barcode with a food app, the app looks up the product in its database and returns detailed nutritional and ingredient information.

The scanning process in 4 simple steps

1. Open your scanning app — Tap the scan or camera icon within the app.
2. Point at the barcode — Hold your phone 10 to 15 centimetres from the barcode. Most apps recognise it instantly.
3. View the results — The app displays nutritional data, ingredient breakdowns, additive information, and health ratings.
4. Log or save — Add the food to your diary, save it to favourites, or simply move on to the next item.

Most modern smartphones — both iPhone and Android — have cameras capable of reading barcodes without any special hardware. The real difference between apps lies in the quality and completeness of their food database, particularly for UK-specific products.

What Information Do You Get From a Scan?

A single barcode scan can reveal far more than what you would typically notice reading a label in the shop. Here is what a good scanning app shows you:

• Calories and macronutrients — Energy (kcal), protein, carbohydrates, sugars, fat, saturated fat, and fibre per serving and per 100g.
• Full ingredient list — Every ingredient in the product, often with explanations of what each one is.
• E-numbers and additives — Identification and explanation of food additives, preservatives, colourings, and emulsifiers. Learn more in our E-numbers guide.
• Allergen information — Clear flagging of the 14 major allergens required by UK food law (including gluten, dairy, nuts, soya, and more).
• Ultra-processed food (UPF) status — Some apps, including NutraSafe, indicate whether a product is classified as ultra-processed under the NOVA system. See our UPF scanner guide.
• Nutritional ratings — Overall health scores or traffic light summaries to help you compare products at a glance.
• Micronutrients — Vitamins and minerals present in the food, and how they contribute to your daily reference intakes.

Comparing UK Food Scanning Apps

Not all food scanning apps are created equal. Here is how three popular options compare for UK users:

Each app has its strengths. Open Food Facts is excellent for transparency and community-driven data. Yuka provides a simple health rating that is easy to understand. NutraSafe combines scanning with full food diary tracking, additive analysis, and micronutrient monitoring — making it particularly useful if you want to track your overall nutrition, not just check individual products.

What to Look for on UK Food Labels

Even if you are scanning, it helps to understand what is on the label. UK food labels follow regulations set by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and must include specific information by law.

The traffic light system

The UK front-of-pack traffic light labelling system is voluntary but widely used by major retailers including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, and Morrisons. It shows at a glance whether a product is high (red), medium (amber), or low (green) in four key nutrients:

Source: Food Standards Agency, Guide to creating a front of pack (FoP) nutrition label for pre-packed products sold through retail outlets.

Reference intakes (RI)

You will also see “% Reference Intake” or “%RI” on UK labels. These are based on an average adult’s daily needs (2,000 kcal per day) and help you understand how much of your daily allowance one serving provides. Keep in mind that your personal needs may differ based on age, sex, activity level, and health goals.

The ingredient list

Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. This means the first ingredient makes up the largest proportion of the product. If sugar or a type of fat appears near the top, that tells you something important about the product’s composition. For a deeper understanding of ingredient lists, see our guide on how to read food labels in the UK.

Why Scanning Beats Reading Labels Manually

Reading a food label properly takes time and knowledge. Here is why letting an app do the work makes sense:

• Speed — A scan takes two to three seconds. Manually reading and processing a label can take several minutes, especially for products with long ingredient lists.
• E-number decoding — Unless you have memorised what E471 or E621 means, you will need to look it up. An app tells you instantly. Browse our full E-number database to learn more.
• Per-serving calculations — Labels show nutrition per 100g, but you rarely eat exactly 100g. Apps calculate nutrition based on your actual portion size.
• Cumulative tracking — Scanning and logging throughout the day gives you a complete picture of your total intake, not just a snapshot of one product.
• Product comparisons — Scanning two similar products side by side lets you choose the better option in seconds.
• Allergen safety — If you have food allergies or intolerances, an app can flag problem ingredients that you might miss in tiny print on the packaging.

None of this means you should stop reading labels entirely. Understanding what is on your food packaging is a valuable skill. But scanning gives you a faster, richer, and more complete picture — especially during a busy weekly shop.

Step-by-Step: Your First Food Label Scan

If you have never used a food scanning app before, here is exactly how to get started:

Step 1: Download a scanning app

Choose an app that suits your needs. If you want to track your nutrition alongside scanning, NutraSafe combines both. Download it free from the App Store.

Step 2: Grant camera permission

When you first open the scanner, the app will ask for camera access. This is needed to read barcodes — the app does not take or store photos of you.

Step 3: Find the barcode

Look for the barcode on the product packaging. It is usually on the back or side, near the nutritional information panel. It looks like a series of vertical black lines with numbers underneath.

Step 4: Scan and review

Hold your phone steady with the barcode in the camera frame. The app will recognise it automatically — you do not usually need to press a button. Review the nutritional information, ingredients, and any flags or ratings the app provides.

Step 5: Log to your food diary (optional)

If you are tracking your daily nutrition, add the item to your food diary with the correct portion size. This builds up a picture of your intake over time, which can be incredibly useful for understanding your eating habits.

Tips for Getting the Most From Food Scanning

Once you are comfortable with the basics, these tips will help you use scanning more effectively:

• Scan before you buy — Use scanning in the shop to compare similar products. You might be surprised how much nutritional content varies between brands.
• Check own-brand products — Supermarket own-brand items are often nutritionally similar to (or better than) branded equivalents, and usually cheaper.
• Watch for reformulations — Manufacturers sometimes change recipes. If a product you scan regularly shows different data, it may have been reformulated.
• Use it for meal planning — Scanning ingredients before you cook helps you understand the nutritional profile of your home-cooked meals.
• Do not rely on scanning alone — Scanning is a tool, not a complete picture. Fresh fruit, vegetables, and unpackaged foods will not have barcodes. Look for manual search features in your app.

Frequently Asked Questions

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