How to label a food “high fibre” in the European Union: rules and calculator
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Fibre is moving rapidly into the centre of food and beverage product development. Grand View Research estimates that the global dietary-fibres market will grow from USD 6.5 billion in 2026 to USD 10.6 billion by 2033. Separately, FoodNavigator, citing Innova Market Insights, reported 5.4% compound annual growth in food and drink launches carrying high-fibre claims between 2020 and 2025. New fibre-focused cereals, snacks, drinks and other product lines are turning that demand into a visible commercial trend.
In the European Union (EU), however, “high fibre” and “source of fibre” are not phrases that a food business can simply print on a label for marketing purposes. They are regulated nutrition claims under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. This means that a product must meet specific numerical conditions before the wording is used on packaging, a website, a retailer listing or an advertisement.
Under EU food-information law, food business operators are responsible for ensuring that the food information they provide is accurate and compliant. An unsupported fibre claim can lead to costly packaging and website changes, as well as enforcement action.
Written for food founders, product developers, marketers and Regulatory Affairs teams preparing fibre claims for EU packaging, websites and advertising.
What are the EU thresholds for labelling a food “high fibre” or a “source of fibre”?
To label a food high fibre, it must contain at least 6 g of fibre per 100 g or at least 3 g of fibre per 100 kcal. To label a food as a source of fibre, it must contain at least 3 g per 100 g or at least 1.5 g per 100 kcal.
These conditions appear in the Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 and in the European Commission’s list of permitted nutrition claims.
There are four threshold scenarios to check. Each claim has two alternative routes: one based on fibre per 100 g and one based on fibre per 100 kcal. A product only needs to meet one of the two routes for the claim it wants to use.
| Claim | Calculation route | Product qualifies when it contains |
|---|---|---|
| Source of fibre | Per 100 g | At least 3 g of fibre per 100 g |
| Source of fibre | Per 100 kcal | At least 1.5 g of fibre per 100 kcal |
| High fibre | Per 100 g | At least 6 g of fibre per 100 g |
| High fibre | Per 100 kcal | At least 3 g of fibre per 100 kcal |
If the product reaches one of the high-fibre thresholds, it may use the “high fibre” claim. If it reaches a source-of-fibre threshold but neither high-fibre threshold, it may use “source of fibre” but not “high fibre.” This may sound complicated, so we prepared a calculator for you. Enter your product’s fibre and energy values on the same basis, and it will show which claim those values support—or whether they support neither claim.
Which food products could qualify for a high-fibre claim?
No product category qualifies automatically. Foods that are naturally rich in fibre, or products formulated with concentrated or added fibre, are common candidates. The finished product must still contain at least 6 g of fibre per 100 g or at least 3 g of fibre per 100 kcal before it can be labelled high fibre.
| Product category | Common examples |
|---|---|
| Breakfast cereals and bakery products | Bran cereals, wholegrain cereals, granola, crispbreads and wholegrain breads |
| Legume-based products | Bean, chickpea or lentil pasta, snacks and spreads |
| Nut and seed products | Seed crackers and bars made with nuts, seeds or dried fruit |
| Fibre-enriched foods and drinks | Snack bars, bakery products, soups, sauces and drinks formulated with ingredients such as inulin, oligofructose, psyllium or oat fibre |
| Plant-based alternatives and desserts | Products formulated with wholegrains, legumes, nuts, seeds or added fibre |
High-fibre claims are commonly considered for cereals, snacks, wholegrain breads, pasta, snack bars and fibre-enriched drinks. However, the product category or ingredients alone cannot show whether the finished food qualifies.
Every recipe is different, and checking both EU calculation routes can be confusing. That is why we created the free calculator below: enter your product’s fibre and energy values, and it will show whether they support a “high fibre” claim, a “source of fibre” claim or neither.
Calculate whether your product qualifies for a high-fibre claim
Enter the fibre and energy values from the same nutrition basis. If your fibre value is per 100 g, use the energy value per 100 g. If both are per 100 ml, select that basis so the tool applies only the route it can validly assess.
Interactive tool
EU fibre-claim calculator
Enter fibre and energy values stated on the same basis. The calculator checks both EU routes: per 100 g and per 100 kcal.
This calculator provides an initial screening based only on the information entered. Borderline results may require unrounded values, supporting evidence, normal product variability and a review of the final wording and presentation. It is not legal advice.
How does the fibre-claim calculation work in practice?
Enter the fibre and energy (kcal) values shown for the same amount of food—for example, both per 100 g. The calculator first compares the fibre value with the per-100-g thresholds. It then uses the energy value to calculate the fibre per 100 kcal and checks the second set of thresholds. These are alternative routes, so the product does not need to meet both.
If either route meets the high-fibre threshold, the result is “high fibre.” If not, the calculator checks whether the product qualifies as a “source of fibre.” If it meets neither threshold, the result says that the entered values do not support a fibre claim.
For example: a granola contains 6.2 g of fibre and 450 kcal per 100 g. The calculator first checks the 6.2 g fibre value and finds that it meets the 6 g per 100 g high-fibre threshold. It then calculates approximately 1.38 g of fibre per 100 kcal, which does not meet the energy-based thresholds. Because the product only needs to qualify through one route, the final result is “high fibre.” The calculator performs both checks automatically, so you do not need to calculate or compare the routes yourself.
Can a drink qualify as high fibre?
A drink can potentially qualify, but a value stated per 100 ml cannot simply be compared with the 6 g per 100 g condition. The Annex states the mass route per 100 g, not per 100 ml.
When fibre and energy are both available per 100 ml, their ratio can still be used to calculate grams of fibre per 100 kcal. The calculator therefore assesses a per-100-ml input through the energy route only. If you want to rely on the per-100-g route for a liquid, you need a supported conversion based on the product’s mass and density—not an assumption that 100 ml always equals 100 g.
Keep the calculation and the source data with the product specification so the basis can be checked during artwork approval.
Does fibre need to appear in the nutrition declaration?
Yes, when a nutrition or health claim refers to fibre, the amount of fibre must be declared in the nutrition information. Fibre is otherwise a voluntary addition to the standard EU nutrition declaration.
The European Commission’s nutrition-labelling guidance explains that fibre may be added voluntarily to the declaration. Article 49 of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 connects the declaration rules with nutrition and health claims.
Before approving artwork, confirm that the fibre figure comes from the final recipe or product analysis, uses the correct method and basis, and matches the value used for the claim assessment. A claim on the front and a missing or inconsistent fibre value in the nutrition table creates an avoidable review problem.
Is “fibre-rich” different from “high fibre”?
Changing the phrase does not necessarily avoid the regulated threshold. Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 covers the named claims and wording likely to have the same meaning for consumers.
Depending on the language, prominence and surrounding presentation, expressions such as these may still communicate a fibre nutrition claim:
- fibre-rich;
- rich in fibre;
- packed with fibre;
- an excellent source of fibre;
- with fibre; or
- contains fibre.
The precise classification can depend on what the consumer is likely to understand. Do not use an invented phrase as a fallback when the product misses the relevant source or high threshold. Review the exact wording, badge, product name and nearby imagery together.
Can I say “supports gut health” on a high-fibre food label?
No. “High fibre” describes the food’s nutritional composition. A statement such as “supports gut health,” “improves digestion” or “keeps you regular” communicates a relationship with health and needs a separate health-claim assessment.
Some authorised EU health claims relate to specific fibres and specific effects. For example, Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 includes claims concerning rye fibre and normal bowel function, and wheat bran fibre and intestinal transit or faecal bulk. Each has its own conditions of use.
A product reaching the general high-fibre threshold does not automatically satisfy those ingredient-specific conditions, and it does not permit broader or stronger wording. Identify the precise fibre, authorised wording, required quantity and any consumer information before connecting the product with a health effect.
What happens if I use a “high fibre” claim without meeting the EU requirements?
Using a fibre claim without meeting its conditions can lead to authority action. Depending on the Member State and circumstances, a business may have to remove or correct the claim, change packaging and online product information, and may receive a warning or financial penalty. In one national example, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority issued official warnings and administrative fines and required packaging and website changes after finding misleading nutrition and health claims. Checking the fibre values before artwork approval is therefore a regulatory and commercial decision, not only a marketing calculation.
Review the complete claim with rukola
The calculator shows whether the entered values reach an EU fibre threshold. A complete review also needs the product specification, nutrition declaration, exact wording and every place the message appears.
Upload your label, specification, recipe or website to rukola to identify applicable requirements and review regulatory risks before launch. rukola provides a structured assessment with legal references so you can see which information supports the communication and what still needs attention.
rukola provides informational compliance screening based on EU food rules. It is not legal advice.
You can also use the EU high-protein claim calculator or explore the full rukola EU Food Law Guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much fibre does a food need to be high fibre in the EU?
A food must contain at least 6 g of fibre per 100 g or at least 3 g of fibre per 100 kcal. Reaching either alternative can satisfy the numerical high-fibre condition.
What is the EU threshold for a source of fibre?
A food must contain at least 3 g of fibre per 100 g or at least 1.5 g of fibre per 100 kcal.
What should I check if the calculator result is close to an EU “source of fibre” or “high fibre” threshold?
A result just above 3 g or 6 g of fibre per 100 g, or just above 1.5 g or 3 g per 100 kcal, needs a closer review. Declared nutrition values are average values, and the numbers printed on a label may be rounded.
Before relying on the claim, check the final product formulation, the unrounded fibre and energy values, laboratory results or recipe calculations, the method used to determine fibre, normal ingredient and production variability, and whether the result remains supported after a reformulation or supplier change.
Is the fibre claim calculated per serving?
No. The Annex conditions are stated per 100 g or per 100 kcal. A per-serving figure may be useful to consumers, but it does not replace the legal threshold calculation.
Can a product qualify through the per-100-kcal route only?
Yes. The two conditions are alternatives. A product can qualify when it reaches the applicable per-100-kcal threshold even if it does not reach the corresponding amount per 100 g.
Can I use a per-100-ml fibre value for a drink?
A per-100-ml fibre and energy pair can be used to calculate the per-100-kcal ratio. It should not automatically be compared with the separate per-100-g threshold.
Are “fiber” and “fibre” treated differently?
No. “Fibre” is the spelling used in the English version of EU food law. “Fiber” communicates the same nutritional property and does not create a different threshold.
Does high fibre mean the whole product is healthy?
No. The claim confirms a specific level of fibre. It does not describe the food’s complete nutritional profile or automatically permit a general health message.
Can I say “supports gut health” if the food is high fibre?
Not on that basis alone. Gut-health wording is a health claim and must be assessed against an authorised claim, its conditions of use and the exact fibre or ingredient involved.
Editorial note: This article was reviewed against the cited EU sources on 29 July 2026. Applicable rules, guidance and enforcement approaches can change. Review the current requirements and product-specific evidence before making a claim decision.
This guide is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Always verify claims against current EU and national rules for your product and market.