Overview of the different labeling and marking requirements, including any restrictive advertising or labeling practices and where to get more information.
Last Published: 11/14/2019


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Chinese import inspection authorities point to labeling as one of the major reasons for noncompliance reports which has generated a lot of consumer complaints.  Labeling and marking requirements are mostly made by different industry authorities. However, all products sold in China must be marked in the Chinese language. The State Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection, and Quarantine (AQSIQ) requires imported and exported (but not domestic) food items such as candy, wine, nuts, canned food, and cheese to have labels verified and products tested for quality before a good can be imported or exported.

Many products imported to China must receive a China Compulsory Certification (CCC) marking before sale. The CCC marking is a conformity assessment system required for the importation and sale of goods in China. It is implemented by China National Certification and Accreditation Administration (CNCA) for the protection of national security, human health or safety, animal and plant life or health, and environment and prevention of deceptive practices. Products not meeting the requirements may be held at the border by Chinese customs and subject to other penalties. Once it is determined that a product must comply with the CCC mark, a completed application must be submitted to the CNCA. This must be accompanied by sample t4esting from an accredited Chinese laboratory, and factory inspections by Chinese inspectors. The application may then be evaluated and a CCC marked will be affixed to the product if the application is approved. Follow-up inspections must be conducted every 12-18 months. A complete list of products that require a CCC mark can be found on the China Laws, Standards, and Customs Regulation page of export.gov.
 
According to the Food Labeling Standards of China (GB7718-2011), imported foods shall have clear markings that indicate the country of origin, in addition to the name and address of the general distributor registered in the country. Please note that labeling standards are currently under review to reflect requirements under the 2015 Food Safety Law and are expected to be issued soon.

Products requiring the CCC mark, in addition to undergoing an application and testing process, must have the mark physically applied on products before entering or being sold in China.  Many electronic products require the CCC mark.

Pursuant to the 2015 Food Safety Law, pre-packaged food must be labeled and must include the following information:

  • Name, specification, net content, and date of production;
  • Table of ingredients or formulation;
  • Producer name, address and contact information;
  • Shelf life;
  • Code of product standard(s);
  • Storage requirements;
  • Generic name of the food additives as used in the national standard;
  • Production License Number; and
  • Other information that must be indicated in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and food safety standards.
The labels of staple and supplementary foods for infant consumption and other specific populations must also list main nutritional ingredients and their contents. A series of national food safety standards were developed to provide specific guidance in product labeling:
Date of issuanceEffective DateStandard NumberStandard-in ChineseStandard-in English
11/29/20136/1/2015GB29924-2013食品添加剂标识通则General Standard for the Labeling of Food Additives
12/26/20135/1/2015GB13432-2013预包装特殊膳食用食品标签The Labeling of Pre-packaged Foods for Special Dietary Uses


In addition, in December 2016, the China Food and Drug Administration began requiring infant formula powder producers to review their infant formula labels and ensure that labels are in compliance with the relevant laws, regulations, rules and standards. More specific information is provided in the Infant Formula section of the FAS FAIRS Country Report.

Labeling of agriculture biotech products is governed by the Administrative Measures for Agricultural GMO, which is discussed Section VII of FAS FAIRS Country report.

Prepared by our U.S. Embassies abroad. With its network of 108 offices across the United States and in more than 75 countries, the U.S. Commercial Service of the U.S. Department of Commerce utilizes its global presence and international marketing expertise to help U.S. companies sell their products and services worldwide. Locate the U.S. Commercial Service trade specialist in the U.S. nearest you by visiting http://export.gov/usoffices.