Abstract Facilitating access to European food composition data via a web-based system is a key objective of the European Food Information Resource Network of Excellence (EuroFIR). To better understand the needs of potential users of such a system the Use Case approach – a methodology used in software development – has been adapted to document the requirements of users. Use Cases describe how a system has to perform in order to be fit for the purpose that it is being used/built for. Several examples of how key users of food composition data currently interact with systems that provide such data have been identified and development of Use Cases will help to determine key functional requirements of the EuroFIR systems being developed and highlight further areas of opportunity for EuroFIR. Facilitating access to enhanced datasets on manufactured foods is one opportunity identified and discussed.