What must be on a food label
A label is not only design. For a food product the law clearly defines what information must be on the pack, what font size and in what language. If something is missing, that means the risk of fines and returns from retail chains. Let us go through the mandatory list in plain words and show how to allow for it while the pouch artwork is still being made.
Food labelling in Ukraine is governed by Law 2639-VIII, harmonized with EU Regulation 1169/2011. You must state the name, ingredients, allergens, quantity, shelf life, storage conditions, the producer and the nutrition declaration. The information must be truthful, in Ukrainian and legible. In the pouch artwork it is important to leave room for all this text and a separate light zone for the date and batch. This is an overview, not legal advice.
Which law governs this
The main act is Law of Ukraine No. 2639-VIII on information for consumers about food products. It has been in force since 6 August 2019 and is harmonized with EU Regulation 1169/2011. In practice this means the label requirements in Ukraine and the EU are broadly the same, and a product prepared to the Ukrainian law will in most cases also meet European expectations.
The law applies to prepacked food and requires all information to be accurate, not misleading and easy to understand.
What must be on the label
Here is the basic list of mandatory information for a prepacked product:
| Name of the food | A clear name that reflects what the product is |
| Ingredients | A list of ingredients in descending order of weight |
| Allergens | Substances causing allergy or intolerance are emphasised within the ingredient list (for example, by font) |
| Net quantity | The weight or volume of the product |
| Shelf life | The minimum durability date or a use-by date for perishable products |
| Storage conditions | Where needed, including after opening the pack |
| Producer | The name and address of the food business operator responsible for the product |
| Country of origin | Where its absence could mislead the consumer |
| Nutrition declaration | Energy value and the amount of fat, saturates, carbohydrate, sugars, protein and salt, usually per 100 g or 100 ml |
In addition: for drinks with more than 1.2 percent alcohol the actual alcohol content is stated, and some products need instructions for use. The batch number is applied separately and lets a specific production run be traced.
Legibility and language
Stating the information is not enough, it also has to be noticeable:
- Language. In Ukraine the mandatory information is given in the state language, Ukrainian, and may be duplicated in others. In the EU it must be in a language easily understood by consumers in the country of sale.
- Font size. The letters must not be too small: roughly a character height from about 1.2 mm, and from about 0.9 mm for small packs with a small surface.
- Prominence. Key information may not be hidden or overlaid by other design elements; it must be easy to read.
What about small packs
For very small packs the law gives some relief. If the largest surface of the pack is smaller than 10 cm², only the most important items are mandatory: the name of the food, allergens, net quantity and the minimum durability date. The rest of the information is provided another way, for example on the outer group packaging.
How this affects the pouch artwork
This is exactly where labelling meets our work. When artwork is drawn thinking only about looks, the mandatory text later does not fit or runs over the graphics. So we allow for several things in advance:
- We leave enough room for all the mandatory text, not just for the logo and image.
- We plan a separate light zone where you can conveniently print the durability date and batch number with your inkjet or coder.
- We make sure a clear window or dark graphics do not cover the ingredients, allergens and shelf life.
It is important to understand where responsibility lies: the correctness and completeness of the label text is the product owner's responsibility, and it is worth checking with a lawyer or technologist where needed. Our job is to make sure all this information fits neatly and legibly on the pouch.
Preparing your pouch artwork?
We will lay out the artwork so all mandatory information fits and there is room for the date and batch.