Glossary

X-height

X-height is the height of a lower-case letter x in the font you print. Mandatory food information uses a minimum x-height, which is not the same number as the point size on a thermal printer.

Reviewed 23 September 2026 against official guidance.SourcesNot legal advice.

In practice

The usual minimum for mandatory particulars is an x-height of 1.2 mm, with 0.9 mm where the largest surface is under the small-pack threshold. A “10 pt” setting can miss that once the font, the bold weight and the printer’s scaling are taken into account.

PPDS packs need the ingredients list with allergens emphasised to be readable. If the only way to fit the list is to drop below the minimum, the pack is too small for that much information — shorten the product name, not the list.

Questions

Is 6-point text legal if it looks clear?

The test is x-height in millimetres, not the point size in the software. Measure a lower-case x on the printed label.

Does emphasis let me use smaller type?

No. Bold or capitals do not reduce the minimum x-height.

Official sources

Everything on this page traces back to these. Where they and we disagree, they are right — tell us and we'll fix it.

Introduction to allergen labelling for PPDS foodFood Standards Agency / GOV.UK
Labelling guidance for prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) food productsFood Standards Agency / GOV.UK