Bagged for sale is prepackaged food: production date, shelf life, and ingredient list on the label—none may be missing

Food put in packaging and sold is prepackaged food in law; the package must have a label, and nine items are mandatory—including production date and shelf life. Bulk food must still show name, dates, and the seller's name and address. Missing required marks: goods value under 10000 → fine 5000–50000; at or above 10000 → fine 5–10 times goods value.

Cost

Printing labels costs a few fen to a few jiao each. Filling dates and ingredients correctly for every batch takes some time.

Benefit

Food Safety Law: prepackaged food (food sold in packaging) must have a label. The label must show name, specification, net content, production date, composition or ingredient list, producer's name, address, and contact, and shelf life. Also product standard code, storage conditions, the national-standard generic names of food additives used, and production license number. Anything else required by laws, regulations, or food safety standards must also appear. Bulk food is unpackaged and weighed to order. Selling bulk food: containers and outer packaging must show name, production date or batch number, and shelf life, plus the operator's name, address, and contact. Producing or selling prepackaged food without a label, or with a label or instructions that don't meet this law: confiscate illegal gains and the food. If goods value is under 10000 yuan, additionally fine 5000–50000 yuan; if 10000 yuan or more, fine 5–10 times goods value. Serious cases: ordered to stop production or business, up to license revocation. Labels or instructions with only minor defects that don't affect food safety or mislead consumers: ordered to correct first; fine up to 2000 yuan only if they refuse. The new Prepackaged Food Labeling General Standard is numbered GB 7718-2025, issued 16 March 2025. It takes effect 16 March 2027, with a two-year transition. It requires an independent area on the package showing both production date and shelf-life end date together. Dates must use high-contrast, easy-to-read type and color, in year-month-day order (nationwide).

Notes

Label problems split into two tiers; fines and damages follow that split. Minor defects—typos, nonstandard font size—that don't affect safety or mislead: market supervision only orders correction; refuse and fine up to 2000 yuan; buyers also get no tenfold damages. Missing required marks—such as production date or shelf life—are not minor. Judicial interpretation says so expressly. Fines by goods value: under 10000 yuan → 5000–50000 yuan; 10000 yuan or more → 5–10 times goods value. Buyers may also claim tenfold the food price, minimum 1000 yuan if tenfold is lower (section 5, item 31). GB 7718-2025 line-by-line requirements were checked only to the dates and display method in the announcement and official interpretation; exact format follows the standard text.

Sources · 2

1. 全国人大常委会 (2025 年第三次修正). 食品安全法（第六十七、六十八、一百二十五条）. flk.npc.gov.cn/detail?id=7b5a76d0461745a08d3f…
2. 国家卫生健康委员会、国家市场监督管理总局 (2025). 关于发布《食品安全国家标准 预包装食品标签通则》（GB 7718-2025）等 50 项食品安全国家标准和 9 项修改单的公告（2025 年第 2 号）. jkw.lasa.gov.cn/wswyh/wjzl/202504/a90766908ef…（拉萨市卫生健康委员会转载公告全文）；最高人民法院 (2024). 关于审理食品药品惩罚性赔偿纠纷案件适用法律若干问题的解释（法释〔2024〕9 号，第六、八条）. gongbao.court.gov.cn/Details/bf531a70471f10d3…（标签瑕疵与必标事项缺失的分档）；北京市市场监督管理局 (2026). 找不到生产日期？食品标签要「变脸」！新规这些重点必看. scjgj.beijing.gov.cn/zwxx/scjgdt/202605/t2026…（实施日期、过渡期与日期展示新要求）