The latest laws and regulations on packaging in 2026

China's packaging sector has established a compliance system led by higher-level laws, supported by specialized regulations and underpinned by mandatory national standards, with its core focus on safety labeling, excessive packaging governance, green transformation and microplastic control.

I. Core Laws and Regulations (by Application Scenario)

General Packaging Compliance Fundamentals

Product Quality Law: Producers must ensure that packaging complies with national/industry standards for the protection of personal and property safety.

Law on the Protection of Consumer Rights and Interests: Packaging information must be truthful and complete, and false advertising is prohibited; consumers enjoy the right to know the true condition of goods.

Advertising Law, Anti-Unfair Competition Law and Trademark Law: These regulate the text, graphics and brand identification content on packaging.

Special Rules for Food Packaging (currently the most strictly regulated area)

Food Safety Law and its implementing regulations: These specify safety requirements for food-contact materials.

Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Food Labeling (Order No. 100 of the State Administration for Market Regulation): effective March 16, 2027 (currently in the transition period). Key new rules include:

The production date/expiry date of the shelf life must be placed in a separate area and marked in black on a white background;

Tiered increases in font height: for packaging ≥35cm2, the date character height must be ≥3.0mm, while other mandatory content must be ≥1.8-2.5mm (depending on area);

Where a name contains a flavor but no corresponding ingredient is present, it must be prefixed with "a certain flavor"; non-health foods are prohibited from claiming efficacy or bearing "special supply" labels.

Supporting standard: GB 7718—2025 General Rules for the Labeling of Prepackaged Foods is being advanced in parallel.

Express/Logistics Packaging (fully mandatory in force)

Interim Regulations on Express Delivery (revised in June 2025): A dedicated chapter on "express packaging" was added, requiring resource conservation, avoidance of excessive packaging and compliance with mandatory national standards.

GB 45186-2024 Requirements for Restricting Excessive Packaging of Express Delivery: officially implemented on July 1, 2026. Hard requirements:

Number of packaging layers: ≤2 layers for non-fragile goods, ≤3-4 layers for fragile/fresh goods;

Tape width ≤45mm, with total length limited by a multiple of the box perimeter (3-5 times);

Box dimensions must fit the contents (body diagonal ratio capped at 1.5-2.5 times).

Penalties for violations: The postal administration department may impose fines of 5,000-20,000 yuan (for failure to establish a recycling system, etc.).

Environmental Protection and Green Transformation (a major breakthrough in 2026)

Ecological Environment Code (effective 2026): For the first time, microplastics are included in the statutory scope of new pollutant governance, establishing:

Full life-cycle supervision (design -> production -> disposal -> recycling);

Statutory establishment of the extended producer responsibility system;

Prohibition of ultra-thin/non-degradable single-use plastic packaging (in key scenarios such as express delivery and food delivery);

Tiered penalties for violations (10,000-1,000,000 yuan), together with daily continuous penalties and credit-based sanctions.

Law on the Prevention and Control of Environmental Pollution by Solid Waste: Supports source reduction of plastic packaging and the building of recycling systems.

II. International Benchmarking Notes (for exporters)

EU PPWR Regulation ((EU) 2025/40): fully applicable from August 12, 2026, recognizing the dual degradation pathways of aerobic composting + anaerobic digestion; mandatory recycled content ratios and reusable design have become hard thresholds.

China's export packaging must simultaneously satisfy the domestic Ecological Environment Code and the green barriers of target markets (such as microplastic release limits and carbon footprint accounting).

III. Key Implementation Reminders

✅ Current priorities: The new national standard for express packaging is already being enforced; food labeling follows the old standard but must be adapted to the 2027 new rules in advance; plastic packaging companies must initiate microplastic compliance assessments.

⚠️ Transition-period risks: Although the Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Food Labeling take effect in 2027, market regulation authorities have already carried out publicity and self-inspection guidance; it is advisable to rectify font and date-marking methods in advance.

——This article is reprinted from China Packaging Network (pack.cn). Original link: http://news.pack.cn/show-379873.html