Laws and Regulations on Product Outer Packaging
- Outer packaging is mainly governed by the Product Quality Law, the Food Safety Law and mandatory national standards on excessive packaging, with food, cosmetics and similar products also subject to specific labeling rules.
- The outer packaging of the smallest sales unit for prepackaged food must carry the product name, ingredients, net content, production date, shelf life and producer information, with standard Chinese characters and dates that are clear and not easily rubbed off.
- Food and cosmetics follow GB 23350-2021, while fresh edible agricultural products follow GB 43284-2023, and packaging must not have excessive layers, excessive voids or excessively high cost.
- Failure to comply with mandatory standards restricting excessive packaging and refusal to correct triggers a fine of RMB 2,000–20,000, rising to RMB 20,000–100,000 in serious cases.
- Flammable and explosive products must be marked 'dangerous goods', and food additives and special foods must carry registration or filing information as required; goods not meeting mandatory labeling or packaging requirements must not be produced, sold, imported or supplied.
Product outer packaging is mainly governed by the Product Quality Law, the Food Safety Law and the mandatory national standards on excessive packaging; food, cosmetics and other products must also comply with specific labeling provisions.
What must be clearly stated on the outer packaging
Basic information must be labeled: product name, name and address of the producer, production date, shelf life, product standard code, etc.; products with a limited period of use shall prominently indicate the expiry date.
Food labels must be standardized: prepackaged food shall be labeled on the outer packaging of the smallest sales unit with the name, ingredients, net content, production date, shelf life, producer information, etc.; the text shall be in standard Chinese characters, and dates shall be clear and not easily rubbed off.
Special products have additional requirements: flammable and explosive products must be marked with the words "dangerous goods", and food additives, special foods, etc. shall be labeled with registration or filing information as required.
Which packaging counts as excessive packaging
Excessive layers, void ratio and cost: food and cosmetics follow GB 23350-2021, and fresh edible agricultural products follow GB 43284-2023; packaging must not have too many layers, excessive voids or excessively high packaging cost.
Consumers must not be misled: packaging design shall take protection, display, storage and transportation as its necessary functions, and must not be flashy without substance.
What are the consequences of violations
Ordered to correct and fined: those who fail to comply with the mandatory standards restricting excessive packaging shall be ordered to correct by market supervision and other authorities; those who refuse to correct shall be fined between 2,000 yuan and 20,000 yuan, and in serious cases between 20,000 yuan and 100,000 yuan.
Products not conforming to mandatory standards must not be sold: goods that do not meet mandatory labeling or packaging requirements must not be produced, sold, imported or supplied.
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