The standard is applied to prepackaged foods to be offered directly or indirectly to consumers.

This standard does not apply to the labeling of packages that provide protection to prepackaged foods during storage and transportation, nor does it apply to the labeling of foods in bulk, and foods that are made and sold on the same spot.

Prepackaged foods are foods in a package or container, including foods packaged in advance with a pre-determined quantity which include the following:  

• Unified weight, volume, and length within certain ranges
• Sold in measured quantity

Food labels should be:

• compliant with provisions by laws and regulations, and corresponding food safety standards
• clear, prominent, lasting, and legible to customers in purchase true and accurate
• science-based and easy to understand
• use standard Chinese characters (except for trademarks, email address, and website)

Food labels shall not be:

• separated from the foods, their packages, and containers

• state or imply health functions (effectiveness), if not health foods

For prepackaged foods that are not directly offered to consumers, they shall declare;

• true attribute name (a special food name that already explains and reflects inherent food characteristics, processes, ingredients, etc.)
• net content and configuration (excluding those sold by measurement)
• manufacturing date
• shelf-life expiration date
• storage conditions

*Other information that is not declared on the label shall be provided in the digital labels, or through the instructions or contracts.

If the relevant departments of the State Council of China have other regulations on special foods labeling, such regulations shall prevail. Examples of these regulations are the following:

1. National Food Safety Standard for Nutrition Labeling of Prepackaged Foods (English-translated link)

   This standard applies to nutrition labels of prepackaged foods provided directly to consumers.

2. National Food Safety Standard Labeling of Prepackaged Foods for Special Dietary Uses (English-translated link)

   This standard applies to the labels of prepackaged foods for special dietary uses (including nutrition labels)

Food claims should accurately describe the following:

• characteristics
• properties
• specialty of the foods
• food ingredients
• components

All visible declared content on the label of imported prepackaged foods—including foreign language text, traditional Chinese characters, Chinese labels, and other explanatory materials—must comply with China’s laws, regulations, and food safety standards.

• true attribute name
• Chinese name of ingredients more than 2% ingoing volume (by weight) in descending order at the time of the manufacturing or processing of the food
• List of ingredients in Chinese
• net content (displayed on the same side of food name)
• names, addresses and contacts information of importer or agent
• China’s registration number or the registration number issued by authorities of the foreign countries for the overseas manufacturer
• date marking (YYYY, MM, and DD) with the shelf-life period and shelf-life expiration date
• country of origin where the nature of the food changes complete, and/or country or region of filling or subpackaging.
• Chinese information of intended consumer group, serving size, or instructions for use (if applicable)
• storage conditions
• Allergens¹

Imported prepackaged food labels that are not directly provided to consumers should be labeled in accordance with the corresponding requirements in Article 5 of this Standard. 

• Cereals and products containing gluten
• Crustaceans and products (shrimps, lobsters, crabs)
• Fish and products
• Eggs and products
• Peanuts and products
• Soybean and products

Food manufacturers are encouraged to display food information through digital labels on the premise that labeling of prepackaged foods comply with the requirements of this Standard, with the following provisions:

• consistent with the information displayed in labels on food packaging
• easily accessible form in Chinese
• displayed directly on the first level page after showing of content without any interfering elements to affect reading
• content of digital labels should be clear, eye-catching, easy to read and should not be tempered

Food manufacturers can provide digital labels based on the needs of specific consumer groups (e.g. voice recognition)

The following products are exempted from declaring the following

shelf life and shelf-life expiration date

• wine and liquors with alcohol content of 10% or more
• vinegar
• food grade salt
• solid sugars
• monosodium glutamate

date of manufacture

• wine and liquors with alcohol content of 10% or more