Sugar free vs no added sugar: what the label terms mean
“Sugar free” and “no added sugar” sound alike on a chocolate wrapper, but each term has its own conditions in the rules. This page lists them as the official texts give them.
Read on 2026-10-16. The US and EU texts are different rules. This page does not say which one applies to a product you hold.
“Sugar free” in the United States
The US Code of Federal Regulations (2024 edition), section 101.60(c) on sugar content claims, says that consumers may reasonably be expected to regard terms that represent that the food contains no sugars or sweeteners, such as “sugar free” or “no sugar,” as indicating a product which is low in calories or significantly reduced in calories. It adds that a food may not be labeled “sugar free,” “free of sugar,” “no sugar,” “zero sugar,” “without sugar” or “sugarless” unless, among other conditions, it contains less than 0.5 g of sugars per reference amount customarily consumed and per labeled serving or, in the case of a meal product or main dish product, less than 0.5 g of sugars per labeled serving.
The same section lists further conditions for these terms.
- For the terms “sugar free” and “no sugar,” another condition is that the food contains no ingredient that is a sugar or that is generally understood by consumers to contain sugars, unless the ingredient in the ingredient list is followed by an asterisk that refers to a statement below the list that says “adds a trivial amount of sugar,” “adds a negligible amount of sugar,” or “adds a dietarily insignificant amount of sugar.”
- A further condition is that the food is labeled “low calorie” or “reduced calorie” (or meets related conditions in the same paragraph), or that the term is immediately accompanied, each time it is used, by “not a reduced calorie food,” “not a low calorie food,” or “not for weight control.”
“No added sugar” in the United States
The same section of the Code of Federal Regulations says that the terms “no added sugar,” “without added sugar” and “no sugar added” may be used only if, among other conditions, no amount of sugars, or any other ingredient that contains sugars that functionally substitute for added sugars, is added during processing or packaging.
The same section lists further conditions for these terms.
- Another condition is that the product does not contain an ingredient containing added sugars such as jam, jelly or concentrated fruit juice.
- A further condition is that the food it resembles and for which it substitutes normally contains added sugars.
- A further condition is that the product bears a statement that the food is not “low calorie” or “calorie reduced” (unless the food meets the requirements for a “low” or “reduced calorie” food) and that directs consumers' attention to the nutrition panel for further information on sugar and calorie content.
The same terms in the EU and UK claims rules
The Annex to Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims, as published on legislation.gov.uk, says that a claim that a food is sugars-free, and any claim likely to have the same meaning for the consumer, may only be made where the product contains no more than 0.5 g of sugars per 100 g or 100 ml. It adds that a claim stating that sugars have not been added to a food, and any claim likely to have the same meaning for the consumer, may only be made where the product does not contain any added mono- or disaccharides or any other food used for its sweetening properties. It also says that for a claim that sugars have not been added, if sugars are naturally present in the food, the indication “CONTAINS NATURALLY OCCURRING SUGARS” should also appear on the label. The same page says that a claim that a food is low in sugars may only be made where the product contains no more than 5 g of sugars per 100 g for solids or 2.5 g of sugars per 100 ml for liquids.
What to take from this
The front of the pack is a claim, and the rules above are what a claim has to meet. The label panel and the ingredient list show the numbers behind it. The label guide goes through them line by line, and the maltitol guide and the erythritol guide cover two sweeteners you may meet in the ingredient list.
Sources
Checked on 2026-10-16 against US Code of Federal Regulations, 21 CFR 101.60 (2024 edition, GovInfo), Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, Annex (legislation.gov.uk). Read the source again before you rely on a number, because rules and studies change.