Salt reduction targets involve setting a target level of salt per 100g/ml of product for the food and drink industry to work towards. Different targets are set for different catagories of food and drink. Targets can be either a maximum (the maximum level of salt a product should contain), an average (set as the mean or a median salt level, depending on the distribution of salt content in the products within the category) or a percentage reduction target (e.g. a 20% reduction within 3 years).

All companies should be encouraged to meet the maximum or percentage reduction targets, while average/salesweighted average targets provide companies with flexibility to prioritise further reformulation in best-selling products. Targets can be mandatory or voluntary, and can be comprehensive across all food products with added salt, or specific to high contributing categories.

• WASSH and WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia, 2021. Setting Salt Reduction Targets
• WHO/PAHO Regional Expert Group for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention through Population-wide Dietary Salt Reduction, 2013. A Guide for Setting Targets and Timelines to Reduce the Salt Content of Food
• Resolve to Save Lives. Industry salt reduction targets 
• Health Resources in Action. Sodium reduction: Assessment to Action 
• WHO Europe, 2020. Accelerating salt reduction in Europe
• Downs SM, Christoforou A, Snowdon W, et al. Setting targets for salt levels in foods: A five-step approach for low- and middle-income countries. Food Policy 2015;55:101-08.