A product that is fully compliant on paper can still be rejected at customs or pulled from retail shelves over something as simple as an incorrectly formatted label. Packaging and labelling requirements are one of the most country-specific, easy-to-overlook compliance areas in cross-border trade.
Why Labelling Requirements Vary So Much
Labelling rules are set at the national level and cover language requirements, mandatory information (country of origin, ingredients, weights and measures, safety warnings), and sometimes format specifics like minimum font size or label placement — and a label compliant for one destination market is often not automatically compliant for another, even within the same region.
Language Requirements
Many markets require labelling in the local official language, sometimes alongside English, and a product labelled only in English can be held at customs or blocked from retail even when every other requirement is met. This is especially relevant across Central Asia and parts of the Caucasus, where local-language labelling is commonly required regardless of English proficiency in commercial circles.
Category-Specific Requirements
Food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals typically carry the strictest labelling requirements — ingredient lists, allergen warnings, expiry dating formats, and halal certification marks where applicable, covered in more detail in our FMCG industry guide. Industrial and technical products often require safety and compliance marks instead, such as CE marking for the EU and Turkey.
Packaging Beyond the Label
Some markets impose specific packaging material restrictions — particularly around wood packaging material, which often requires ISPM 15 treatment and marking to prevent pest transmission — and packaging that doesn’t meet a destination market’s phytosanitary requirements can be rejected regardless of what’s inside it.
Checking Requirements Before You Print
Confirming labelling and packaging requirements before finalizing artwork and printing packaging avoids the costly mistake of a full production run that can’t legally enter the destination market — a mistake far more expensive to fix after the fact than to check beforehand.
Getting Labelling Right the First Time
We help clients map labelling and packaging requirements as part of market entry planning. Explore our services or book a discovery call.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does English-language labelling work across most export markets?
Not always. Many markets require labelling in the local official language, sometimes alongside English, and a product labelled only in English can be held at customs or blocked from retail even if every other requirement is met.
What is ISPM 15 and why does it matter for packaging?
ISPM 15 is an international standard requiring wood packaging material to be treated and marked to prevent pest transmission. Packaging that doesn’t meet this requirement can be rejected at customs regardless of the product inside.
When should labelling requirements be checked in a product launch?
Before finalizing artwork and printing packaging. Checking requirements beforehand avoids the costly mistake of a full production run that can’t legally enter the destination market.