EU import compliance
Labeling imported food for the European Union
Food imported into the European Union is labeled under the same rules as food made inside it. Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 sets what must appear, how large it must be, in which language, and who is legally responsible for it. A label built for the United States will not pass unchanged.
Last reviewed: November 5, 2026
01
The 12 mandatory particulars
Article 9(1) of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 lists the information that must appear on prepacked food, subject to exceptions for specific categories and very small packs.
| Name of the food | The legal name, a customary name or a descriptive name |
|---|---|
| List of ingredients | In descending order of weight, headed with a title that includes the word "ingredients" |
| Allergens | Any Annex II substance used in manufacture, emphasized in the ingredient list |
| Quantity of ingredients (QUID) | Where an ingredient is in the name, emphasized or essential to the product |
| Net quantity | In metric units: grams, kilograms, milliliters or liters |
| Date marking | "Best before" or, for highly perishable food, "use by" |
| Storage and use conditions | Where the food needs them |
| Name and address of the food business operator | The operator responsible under Article 8(1) |
| Country of origin | Where Article 26 requires it or its absence could mislead |
| Instructions for use | Where the food would be difficult to use without them |
| Alcoholic strength | Beverages above 1.2% by volume |
| Nutrition declaration | Energy, fat, saturates, carbohydrate, sugars, protein and salt |
02
Who must be named on the label
Under Article 8(1), the operator responsible for the food information is the one under whose name the food is marketed. If that operator is not established in the Union, the responsibility falls on the importer into the Union market. A label naming only a producer outside the EU does not identify a responsible operator.
For private-label programs, the brand owner's EU name and address normally appear on the label. Agree the wording with the buyer before artwork is approved rather than after printing.
03
The 14 allergens
Annex II lists 14 substances that must be emphasized in the ingredient list, for example in bold, whenever they are used in the food, including as a processing aid.
- Cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts, soybeans and milk
- Nuts, celery, mustard, sesame seeds and lupin
- Molluscs
- Sulfur dioxide and sulfites above 10 mg/kg or 10 mg/litre, expressed as SO2
The EU list differs from the US list of nine major allergens: celery, mustard, lupin, molluscs and sulfites are declared in the EU but not as major allergens in the US. A shared artwork for both markets has to satisfy both lists.
04
Size, position and language
| Rule | Requirement | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum font size | x-height of at least 1.2 mm; 0.9 mm where the largest surface is under 80 cm² | Article 13(2) and (3) |
| Same field of vision | Name of the food and net quantity (and alcoholic strength, where required) seen together | Article 13(5) |
| Language | A language easily understood by consumers where the food is marketed; Member States may require their own official language | Article 15 |
| Nutrition basis | Values per 100 g or per 100 ml; per portion may be added | Articles 32 and 33 |
France requires mandatory information in French; a label for the German market needs German. A single multilingual label is allowed, provided each language version is complete.
05
Origin statements
Origin is mandatory where omitting it could mislead the consumer, and for specific categories set by EU law. Where a label does give the origin of the food and the origin of its primary ingredient is different, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/775 requires the primary ingredient's origin to be stated or the difference made clear.
Preferential origin for customs duty (for example an EUR.1 certificate) and origin on the consumer label are separate questions. One does not answer the other.
06
How we handle it
- Ingredient list, allergen emphasis and QUID built from the confirmed formulation, not from a sales sheet
- Net quantity and nutrition declaration reviewed against the EU format before artwork approval
- Destination-market language confirmed with the buyer for every country the pack will be sold in
- Responsible-operator name and address agreed with the buyer before printing
Product programs this guide applies to
Next step
Planning a program that has to meet these requirements?
Send the product, target market, pack format and expected volume. We review the commercial fit and come back with the questions that matter before a quotation.
Source and scope
Source. Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers, in particular Articles 8, 9, 13, 15, 21, 22, 26 and 30 to 33 and Annex II; Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/775 on the origin of the primary ingredient. European Commission: language and presentation of food information. EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011.
Scope. General information for commercial importers, not legal advice, and not a substitute for a label review of your specific artwork. National rules and category-specific EU rules may add requirements; confirm the current position before printing.
Inquiries: sales@alphatradecorp.com