Last Updated on May 1, 2023 by Thomas Bolwell

Impact of Brexit on Food Labelling 

Food labelling changes postponed until 1 October 2022 for foods sold in Great Britain; Northern Ireland will continue to follow the EU rules for food labelling.

Since 1 January 2021, if you import food from Great Britain you will need to comply with the requirements for placing imported food on the Irish market. Here are some notes on questions that food businesses have asked us here at the Label Craft factory in Ireland. 

• Northern Ireland will not follow the specific food labelling rules applicable in GB but will instead continue to follow the food labelling rules applicable in the EU. It is important to note that the legislative basis for this postponed deadline still needs to be put in place and so the guidance is currently subject to agreement with devolved administrations and Parliamentary process. 

• The decision of the UK government to postpone certain required labelling changes means that most foods that are compliant with EU food labelling rules can be placed on the market in GB until 30 September 2022. Their packaging can still contain an EU address for the Food Business Operator (FBO) and “EU” and “non-EU” country of origin claims. From 1 October 2022, the packaging of foods placed on the GB market must include a UK address for the FBO or, if the FBO is not in the UK, the address of the UK importer. Additionally, from that date the packaging may no longer bear “EU” based origin claims and must instead use “UK” or “non-UK” where the label does not list each country of origin.
• It is, however, important to note that the postponement is not applicable to the use of the EU organic logo. As of 1 January 2021, the EU organic logo may no longer be used on any UK organic foods unless the control body is authorised by the EU to certify UK goods for export to the EU or the UK and EU agree to recognise each other’s standards.
• The deadline applicable to foods exported from GB to the EU has not been postponed. All foods placed on the EU market as from 1 January 2021 must meet the EU rules for food labelling. However, as Northern Ireland will follow the EU rules, the food label can contain an EU or Northern Ireland address for the FBO or importer. Moreover, the EU emblem and “EU origin”-claims can still be used on the packaging of foods from and sold in Northern Ireland. For the avoidance of doubt, foods produced in GB and sold in the EU or Northern Ireland, on the other hand, may no longer contain these EU-specific particulars since 1 January 2021.

For any advice on labelling or manufacturing needs please contact our friendly customer service team @ sales@label-craft.com

EU Distributor Information

If your product is being distributed in the European Union, you may need an EU Distribution address listed on the product, label or packaging. You also won’t be able to use ‘Made in EU’ or EU flags without permission.

Products of Animal Origin

Products of Animal Origin which are sourced in the UK will no longer be able to use the ‘EC’ reference code within the Product of Animal Origin oval, instead requiring ‘UK’ ‘GB’ or ‘United Kingdom’.

CE Conformity Markings

Products sold on the UK cannot only have the European Union CE symbol. This has been replaced with the new UKCA logo, and UKNI logo for goods that are being sold in Northern Ireland, to indicate conformity to standards.

Thank you sincerely to all our customers for your support during these restricted times, we are so appreciative of your business and are here to support you in getting your product labels and cartons manufactured and delivered it the same high standard we have had in practice over the last 35 years in business.