Labelling and marking are among the major reasons for products exported to China getting stuck at the Chinese customs. The Chinese authorities require that all products imported and sold in China meet specific labelling and marking requirements, which are stipulated in Chinese national standards.
According to various national standards (e.g. GB 7718 for Food Labelling Standards, GB 13432, 28050 and 10344 for labelling of pre-packaged food), the main information to be included in the labels of F&B products, in Chinese language, are: specification, net content; producer name, address and contact details; name of the importer and distributor in China; table of ingredients and nutrition facts; production date, shelf life / expiration date; storage requirements; name of food additives; code of product or national standards; GACC/CIFER registration code; as well as other information required for specific F&B product categories (e.g. health food; dairy; etc.). Labelling information must be submitted during the GACC/CIFER registration.
According to Article 30 of Decree 249, the packaging, labels, and identification for imported food must comply with Chinese laws, regulations, and national food safety standards. If instructions are mandated by law, they must be provided in Chinese.
For imported fresh and frozen meat, both the inner and outer packaging must feature labels in Chinese and English or in Chinese and the language of the exporting country/region. These labels should be durable, clear, and easily legible, including information such as: (i) Country/region of origin; (ii) Product name; (iii) Production enterprise registration number; (iv) Production batch number; (v) Specifications, production location (specific to state/province/city), production date, shelf life, and storage temperature on the outer packaging. The destination must be labelled as the People’s Republic of China, and the official inspection and quarantine marking of the exporting country/region should be affixed.
For imported aquatic products, the labelling requirements are similar and must include: (i) Commodity name and scientific name; (ii) Specifications, production date, batch number, shelf life, and storage conditions; (iii) Means of production (e.g., ocean catch, aquaculture); (iv) Production area (specified marine or freshwater source); (v) Details of all production and processing enterprises involved, including fishing vessels, processing facilities, and transport vessels. The destination must also be marked as the People’s Republic of China.
Lastly, labels for imported dietary supplements and food intended for special dietary uses must be printed on the minimum sale packaging, as affixing labels to other packaging types is not permitted. Additional regulatory requirements for labelling must be strictly followed for specific food types.
Food additives also have very specific labelling requirements.
More information on labelling requirements for specific product categories can be found in the F&B sectoral reports of the EU SME Centre (see FAQ “What resources does the EU SME Centre have in the F&B sector?”).
