WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES IN BEVERAGE LABEL REGULATIONS AMONG DIFFERENT COUNTRIES

  

Nutrition Information Disclosure:

China: According to the new version of the "General Rules for Nutrition Labels of Prepackaged Foods" released in 2025, it is mandatory to label "1+6" nutrients, namely energy + protein, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates, sugar, and sodium.

The United States: It is required to label energy and nutrients such as protein, fat, carbohydrates, and sodium, as well as 14 core nutrients including vitamins and minerals, and cholesterol, forming a "14+1" model.

Russia: The mandatory labeling items are relatively simple, being "1+3", including energy value (which must be indicated in both kilocalories and kilojoules), protein, fat, and available carbohydrates.

  

Ingredient List Requirements:

China: Ingredients must be listed in descending order of content, and all used components, including additives and preservatives, must be listed, using standardized common names.

Russia: For compound raw materials, if the addition amount is > 2%, all original ingredients must be expanded and labeled; if the addition amount is ≤ 2%, in principle, the original ingredients do not need to be expanded, but food additives, flavors, and their contained additives, bioactive substances, medicinal plants, genetically modified components, and allergens must be mandatorily labeled.

The European Union: The names of substances or products that cause allergies or intolerances in the ingredient list must be clearly distinguished from other ingredients through layout methods, such as font, style, or background color.

  

Special Labeling:

Argentina: Producers of packaged foods and non-alcoholic beverages must warn about excessive intake of sugar, sodium, saturated fat, total fat, and calories in the food.

Russia: Flavored soft drinks containing more than 150 milligrams per liter of caffeine should be labeled with "Not recommended for children under 18 years old, pregnant and lactating women, and people with excessive nervous excitement, insomnia, and arterial hypertension." If specific pigment additives such as acid red and quinoline yellow are used, regardless of the final product content, it should be labeled as "Contains pigments, among which certain pigments (pigment name) may have a negative impact on children's activity and attention."

Singapore: According to the sugar and saturated fat content in beverages, they are classified into five grades: A, B, C, D, and E. Beverages of grades C and D must have a nutrition grade label on the packaging, and grade D beverages cannot be advertised by merchants.

  

Language and Font Requirements:

The United States: Except for brand names, mandatory information on the label must be in English. For malt beverages sold in Puerto Rico, mandatory information can be in Spanish only.

The European Union: Mandatory food information must be labeled in a language easily understood by consumers in the member state where it is sold. Member states can specify one or more official languages of the European Union for providing specific information. For prepackaged foods, mandatory food information should be directly on the packaging or on a label attached to it, and there are minimum font size requirements.

China: The text on the label must be standardized Chinese characters. Pinyin, minority languages, or foreign languages can be used simultaneously, but they must correspond to the Chinese characters and cannot be larger than the corresponding Chinese characters.

  

In addition, some countries and regions are promoting the application of digital labels. For example, Russia requires specific beverages to have digital labels. The EU's revised regulations also include digital labels, requiring them to be accessible, free, and the link should be printed or clearly and conspicuously placed on the physical label.