Foods labeled ‘zero additives’ to be banned from sale

By Rui Juan | wuhunews.cn

The Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Food Labels (Order of the State Administration for Market Regulation No. 100, hereinafter referred to as the Measures), the National Food Safety Standard: General Standard for the Labeling of Prepackaged Foods (GB 7718-2025), and the National Food Safety Standard: General Rules for Nutrition Labeling of Prepackaged Foods (GB 28050-2025) will take effect simultaneously on March 16, 2027. On September 8, the Wuhu Municipal Administration for Market Regulation issued a reminder and warning, urging all food producers and relevant business operators in the city to accurately understand the prohibition on "zero additive" labeling, promptly inspect and clear their inventories, and strictly comply with all requirements under the new standards.

According to Question 35 of the Q&A on the Implementation of the Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Food Labels issued by the State Administration for Market Regulation, foods produced before the implementation date whose labeling violates the prohibitory provisions shall not continue to be sold from that date onward; those whose labeling does not violate the provisions may be sold until their shelf life expires. Accordingly, all foods whose labels bear "zero additives," "0-added," "not added," "not used," "no additives," "not added" or other expressions of the same or similar meaning shall be prohibited from sale from midnight on March 16, 2027. From then on, whether finished products in stock or existing inventories at distributors, supermarkets and other sales channels, any food whose label contains the above terms must be removed from circulation and taken off the shelves. Such products may not be sold in any form.

In response, the Wuhu Municipal Administration for Market Regulation reminds all food producers and relevant business operators to immediately take stock and establish inventory ledgers. Products for sale, finished products in stock, and pre-printed packaging materials should be recorded in separate ledgers by category and checked batch by batch, with a focus on identifying prohibited terms such as "zero additives," so as to gain full knowledge of inventory status and actual conditions. With only about six months left before the sales prohibition takes effect, existing finished products bearing prohibited labels should, in principle, be sold through legitimate and normal channels and cleared from inventory before that date. For those that still cannot be cleared by the deadline, the responsible producers and business operators must remove them from shelves and cease sales from midnight on March 16, 2027, and properly carry out recalls and other disposal measures in accordance with laws and regulations. Such products must not be allowed to circulate in any form. At the same time, the redesign of new-version labels and the printing of packaging materials should be completed in advance, and the use of old-version packaging materials for production and filling after the new regulations take effect is strictly prohibited.

In addition, other newly prohibited labeling practices should also be checked and cleared at the same time. Claims such as "free from," "does not contain" or "not added" regarding food additives and contaminants, as well as labeling food as "suitable for minors" without justification, are also newly prohibited and are likewise subject to the requirement to cease sales from March 16, 2027. These should also be included in the scope of self-inspection and clearance to avoid any omissions.

For prepackaged foods produced on or after March 16, 2027, their labels must comply in all respects with the Measures as well as GB 7718-2025 and GB 28050-2025. Food producers are advised to submit proposed new-version labels to testing institutions for inspection in advance, so as to mitigate the risk of non-compliant labeling at source. If any issues concerning the application of policies arise during label rectification, food producers and business operators may promptly contact the local market regulatory authorities. All food producers and business operators are required to effectively fulfill their primary responsibility for food safety, attach great importance to the rectification of food labels, take immediate action, and make the necessary corrections without delay. Market regulatory authorities will, in accordance with the law, take stringent law-enforcement action against those who refuse to make rectifications after being reminded and warned or who continue to sell food bearing non-compliant labels after the new regulations take effect.