Sending a food product abroad is a more complex process than making it. The critical point is that the label complies with the target country's regulations.
How is the applicable regulation determined?
The first rule is this: the regulation that applies is the target country's, not the producer's.
A label compliant with the Turkish Food Codex may not suffice in the European Union.
Every market has its own rules.
The European Union applies a single regulation; 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers is the basic document.
That applies across twenty-seven countries and is a great convenience.
The United Kingdom applies its own regulations after leaving; largely similar, but there are differences.
FDA regulations apply in the United States; the label format differs markedly from Europe's.
The Gulf states use GSO standards.
The first step is establishing which regulation the target market falls under.
What information is mandatory?
Eight pieces of information are common to most markets.
The product name, which must describe the true nature of the product.
A brand name does not suffice; a description such as "frozen strawberry slices" is required rather than "EMKA Delight".
The ingredient list, in descending order of weight.
The net quantity, in metric units and in some markets additionally in local ones.
A date statement: a use-by or best-before date.
Storage conditions.
The producer's or importer's details; the EU requires the address of a responsible operator within the union.
Country of origin.
A batch number.
| Information | EU | USA | Gulf (GSO) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product name | Mandatory | Mandatory | Mandatory (in Arabic) |
| Ingredient list | Mandatory | Mandatory | Mandatory |
| Allergen emphasis | Bold type | Separate statement | Mandatory |
| Nutrition table | Mandatory | Mandatory (different format) | Mandatory |
| Country of origin | Mandatory | Mandatory | Mandatory |
| EU responsible operator | Mandatory | — | — |
| Halal certificate | — | — | Generally required |
What are the language requirements?
The label has to be in the official language of the target country.
That is the most frequently overlooked requirement.
A product going to Germany needs a German label.
An English label does not suffice.
Multilingual labels can be used, a practical solution where shipments go to several markets.
But label space is limited; more than three or four languages generally will not fit.
The alternative is printing country-specific labels.
That complicates stock management but gives a cleaner result.
A third option is printing a base label and completing country-specific information with an overlabel.
An overlabel must not cover the mandatory information on the original.
That method can be applied by the importer too.
How are allergens declared?
That is the most strictly enforced subject.
The EU defines fourteen allergen groups and requires them to be emphasised in the ingredient list.
The emphasis uses bold type, a different typeface or a different colour.
A separate "contains" list is not mandatory in the EU but may be used.
The United States defines nine major allergens and requires a separate "Contains" statement.
Sesame has been on that list since 2023.
A cross-contamination warning — "processed in the same facility" — is voluntary, but where used it should rest on a genuine risk assessment.
An unnecessary warning narrows the product's market.
A gluten-free claim requires certification; the limit of 20 parts per million is common to most markets.
Incorrect allergen information leads to product recalls and serious penalties.
How is the nutrition table prepared?
The format varies by market.
The EU requires seven items per hundred grams or hundred millilitres: energy, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrate, sugars, protein and salt.
Energy must be given in both kilojoules and kilocalories.
A supplementary table per portion is voluntary.
The format is entirely different in the United States; it is portion-based and includes further items: trans fat, cholesterol, fibre, added sugars, vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium.
The layout of the table is standardised and visually defined.
The figures should rest on an analytical report.
Values obtained by calculation are accepted, but analysis by an accredited laboratory is safer.
There are tolerance ranges for the figures; EU guidance defines them.
An incorrect declaration falls under misleading the consumer.
What must the packaging material comply with?
The packaging itself is regulated as much as the label.
A declaration of compliance is required for materials in contact with food.
In the EU that is defined by framework regulation 1935/2004 and by material-specific rules.
Regulation 10/2011 applies to plastics.
A declaration of compliance should be obtained from the supplier.
That document can be requested at customs.
Recycling marks are mandatory in some markets too.
France requires the Triman logo and Germany a packaging registration.
Those obligations generally fall to the importer, but the producer should provide the information.
The physical durability of the packaging matters too; it has to withstand changes in temperature and humidity over a long sea voyage.
Temperature indicator labels can be used on frozen products against breaks in the cold chain.
What does the document set consist of?
These are the documents sent with an export consignment.
The commercial invoice and packing list.
A certificate of origin, obtained from a chamber of commerce.
A health certificate, mandatory for products of animal origin and issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
An analysis report from an accredited laboratory, with microbiological and chemical parameters according to the product.
A halal certificate, required in Gulf and some Asian markets.
A free sale certificate, showing that the product is freely sold in the producing country.
A packaging declaration of compliance.
Those documents should be prepared in advance; trying to gather them during shipping causes delays.
The document list should be settled with the importer in the target country before a first export; the importer knows local requirements best.
Sending a sample is also worthwhile; the label and packaging then get checked in the target market before a large consignment goes.
