What should a food product label contain?

Searching for “food product label requirements” will reveal dozens of rules regarding product labelling. What should be included on a label? What documents govern its appearance, and how should product information be presented? Here are some key points.

Documents regulating the appearance of labels and the information placed on them

General design principles, food product labels, and the information that should be included on them are specified in specific documents.

One of these is the Food Safety and Human Nutrition Act. These are specific requirements and procedures necessary to ensure the safety of nutrition and food.

Information on label appearance is also provided in the Regulation on the Labelling of Foodstuffs and Permitted Additives. This regulation regulates the precise scope and method of labelling food products and permitted additives, both in individual and bulk packaging, as well as in unpackaged products intended directly for consumers. The regulation also specifies the scope of information to be provided on packaging.

Another document that describes how product labels should look is the Act of 23 April 1964, the Civil Code. It requires consumers to provide clear information about a given product.

What should be on a product label?

A product label must include several key elements. One of them is a clear name of the product, which precisely specifies the type of food. The label should also include the name and address of the manufacturer and/or importer.

The date is also necessary for determining shelf life, marked with phrases such as “best before…” or “use by…”, depending on the product type. The former appears on durable goods, such as pasta, coffee, or salt, while the latter appears on products with a shorter shelf life, such as meat or dairy.

The product label should also include a list of nutrients that a given product contains – importantly, individual ingredients must be listed in descending order. In addition to the ingredients themselves, the nutritional value of the product must also be listed.

The product label cannot omit information about allergens that may be included in the ingredients. These include cereals containing gluten, milk with lactose, eggs, nuts, sesame, and soy.

Moreover, the packaging of the food product must include a mention of its storage conditions, insofar as they affect its quality and condition, and the method of preparation itself, especially in the case of products that can be prepared using an oven or microwave.

The product label should also provide information about net weight, food, and production batch number, which means the quantity of a food produced, packaged or processed under the same conditions.

Some manufacturers also place serving suggestions on food product labels.

What should a product label look like?

The information on food product labels should be primarily clear, legible and understandable for each recipient. It is also important to be able to easily find them among other inscriptions or graphics on the packaging.

Most importantly, the product’s labels should never mislead the consumer. Regardless of whether we’re talking about the product’s properties, expiration date, or the possibility of specific allergens, the product could not only be withdrawn from the market but also pose a risk to the health and lives of consumers.

The product label should be translated into the language of the point of sale. So if it’s Poland, you should use Polish or create a multilingual label.

It is also essential that it has safety, compliance and marketing authorisation, etc. The product label must also be made of durable materials. Only then will it fulfil its informative function for an appropriate period.

Appropriate product labelling. This is the basis for introducing a product to the market and maintaining its presence, while ensuring consumer safety.

Product labels, designed in accordance with the company’s visual identification system, provide not only informational value but also support brand promotion.

At POLINAL®, we offer printing of self-adhesive labels on a roll, using durable and long-lasting materials. We use all available types of foil, including monomeric films, polymers, and cast. Please get in touch with us. Our experts are available to assist you at every stage of the sticker production process.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

• Why are colors on labels so important?

  Colors on labels influence consumer perception of the product and purchasing decisions according to color psychology. Warm colors like red and orange can stimulate appetite, while cool colors like blue and green are associated with freshness and health.

• What are the most common mistakes in product label design?

  The most frequent errors include using too small fonts, poor contrast between text and background, overloading labels with excessive information, and dishonest labeling. Additionally, producers often omit proper allergen marking or provide incomplete product composition information.

• How should allergens be marked on a product label?

  Allergens must be clearly highlighted on the label so consumers can easily identify them and assess potential health risks. The ingredient list should be arranged in descending order by weight, with allergens additionally emphasised visually.

• What information is mandatory on a food product label?

  Food product labels must include the product name, producer or distributor details, net weight, expiration date, and a complete list of ingredients with highlighted allergens. All information must be provided in Polish, be legible and permanent, with a minimum font size of 1.2 mm.