Announcement of the NHC and the SAMR on Matters Related to the Implementation of Digital Labels for Prepackaged Foods

In order to further refine the requirements on digital labels specified in the National Food Safety Standard: General Rules for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods (GB 7718-2025), the following matters are hereby announced:

1. A digital label refers to information on prepackaged food labels that is presented through digital technology or means. Its contents must comply with Article 67 of the Food Safety Law of the People’s Republic of China and the mandatory labelling requirements of national food safety standards for prepackaged foods. Advertising, marketing, and other such information do not fall within the scope of digital labels.

2. The contents of digital labels must be clear, prominent, and easy to read. Overlapping or cluttered information must be avoided, and distracting elements such as pop-up windows or floating windows that affect normal reading are prohibited. The integration of digital label QR codes with other QR codes on the packaging is encouraged to achieve “one code for multiple purposes.”

3. The contents displayed via digital labels must not be tampered with. When modifications or updates are made to the digital label content, the modification details, time, and modifier’s information must be recorded to ensure traceability of the modification process.

4. In accordance with laws, regulations and national food safety standards, information that may be indicated on prepackaged food labels, such as ingredient sources, production processes, place of origin, consumption methods, product traceability, food safety, and nutrition, may, if limited by the physical label space, be displayed through digital labels. Food producers and operators must be responsible for the authenticity and accuracy of the displayed content, ensuring the information is objective and scientific, and must not mislead consumers.

5. When food producers display product information of health foods, foods for special medical purposes, and infant formula foods through prepackaged food digital labels, such information must be consistent with the contents registered or filed with the authorities.

6. When food producers use digital labels of prepackaged foods to display the detailed production address, they may simplify the production address on the physical food label to the name of the county-level administrative region, which must be indicated after the manufacturer’s name. For example, if the production address displayed on a digital label is “No. XX, XX Avenue, XX Town, XX County, XX City, XX Province,” the food label may indicate: “XXX Manufacturer (XX County).”

About CIRS Group

Established in 2012, the Food Business Division of CIRS Group has helped over 1,000 domestic and international food companies achieve one-stop compliance solutions. CIRS offers a full range of regulatory services covering novel food applications, synthetic biology-derived foods, U.S. GRAS notice, EU novel food application, health food registration, and food for special medical purposes (FSMP).

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