Packing products yourself is becoming increasingly popular with shops and producers, mainly because of the growing demand for fresh and artisan products and for products that are prepacked. But when prepacking products, accurate labelling is essential, because there are strict rules about what information must appear on the label.
If you sell or produce prepacked foods, they must carry a label with various mandatory information, including:
- The name of the product (both the customary name and a brand or fancy name)
- The name and address of the producer
- The quantity in the package
- A detailed list of ingredients
- The best-before or use-by date
- A clearly legible production code or batch code
- Any E numbers
It is crucial that all the information on the label is clearly legible and easy to find. It is prohibited by law to omit information or to provide information that could mislead the consumer. All mandatory label information must also be available online. In the Netherlands, the specific rules for food labelling are set out in the handbook 'Etikettering van levensmiddelen' (food labelling), drawn up by the government.
For more detailed information you can take a look at the website of the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority: nvwa.nl, see: https://www.nvwa.nl/binaries/nvwa/documenten/consument/eten-drinken-roken/etikettering/publicaties/handboek-etikettering-van-levensmiddelen/NVWA+-+Handboek+Etikettering+van+levensmiddelen_Versie_8.0.pdf
Allergens are an important point of attention when labelling. If a product contains ingredients to which people may be allergic, such as crustaceans, nuts or milk, these must be stated on the label. This rule applies to the 14 allergens on the EU list. If you sell non-prepacked foods, for example at markets or in the hospitality sector, you are obliged to inform customers clearly about any allergens present in the product.
If you want to highlight certain characteristics of your products, such as 'organic', you must meet strict requirements set by the government. In many cases you can have this checked by an independent inspection body.
Are you looking for machines for weighing and labelling your products, or do you need advice on this for your business? At Weighing Experts we have an extensive range of solutions for labelling, weighing, sorting and combinations of these. Whether it is for a market stall, shop, own production, wholesale or industry, we have the right solution for your needs. Take a look at our range of weighing and labelling machines in the label printing machines collection on our website for more information.