Professional Guide to Gift Packaging Labeling Standards

In the modern market environment, gift packaging labels serve not only as a crucial basis for product identification but also as a key component for compliance management and brand image maintenance. For compliance officers and packaging engineers, establishing a clear and practical labeling standard system is a core task to ensure products meet regulatory requirements, enhance consumer experience, and promote environmental sustainability. This article will focus on the compliance requirements for packaging label design, label content specifications, material and environmental markings, as well as label readability and traceability management, providing specific and actionable professional guidance.

I. Legal and Standard Foundations for Compliant Labels

Compliant labels must adhere to local laws, regulations, and industry standards. For instance, China's newly implemented "National Food Safety Standard General Rules for Prepackaged Food Labeling" (GB 7718-2025) strictly regulates the content, format, and marking sequence for food packaging labels. It explicitly requires the labeling of production dates, expiration dates, ingredients, net content, and other information, stipulating that date markings must follow the "Year-Month-Day" sequence and emphasizing that labels must have an independent and easily identifiable area. Furthermore, the EU's "EU 2025/40 Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation" sets clear requirements for packaging material recycling grades and recyclability, mandating that packaging materials must be marked with their composition to facilitate sorting and recycling.

Therefore, the primary focus of compliant labeling lies in comprehensive adherence to relevant legal standards, ensuring the completeness and accuracy of label information to avoid legal risks and consumer complaints.

II. Key Specifications for Label Content

The content design of gift packaging labels should cover the following aspects:

• Product Identification Information: Includes product name, brand marking, and specifications, which must be clear and consistent with the product itself.
• Production and Expiry Dates: Must clearly display the production date and expiration date (or best-before date), using the legally required year-month-day format, and be placed in a prominent location for easy consumer viewing.
• Ingredient and Material Labeling: Especially for food or sensitive substances, all ingredients and allergens must be listed, categorized, and labeled as required; concurrently, packaging material composition must be clearly marked to aid recycling.
• Storage Conditions and Usage Instructions: Clearly explain the product's storage methods and usage precautions to ensure quality and safety.
• Compliance Certifications and Barcodes: Include necessary quality certification marks and product barcodes to facilitate logistics and sales management.

This information must be presented in a language and format easily understood by consumers, avoiding excessive technicality that could hinder readability.

III. Specifications for Label Materials and Environmental Markings

With the rise of global environmental trends, the material selection and marking for gift packaging labels have become increasingly important. According to the EU Packaging Regulation effective in 2025, packaging materials must meet minimum recycled content requirements and should be marked with material composition to facilitate consumer sorting and recycling. For packaging engineers, selecting materials that meet recycling standards and align with label content is key to achieving environmental sustainability.

Furthermore, the label material itself must balance durability and recyclability, avoiding the use of composite materials that are difficult to decompose or create recycling obstacles. Inks used for label printing should also meet environmental requirements to prevent heavy metal pollution.

IV. Label Readability and Traceability Management

Label design must not only comply with content specifications but also ensure its font size, color contrast, and layout clarity to enhance consumer identification efficiency. Compliance officers should establish specific font and color standards, such as using white text on a black background or black text on a white background, to ensure easy recognition under various lighting conditions.

Additionally, to support modern supply chain management, labels should include traceable barcodes or QR codes to facilitate product batch management and traceability, enhancing risk control capabilities. The implementation of a digital label management system can improve the accuracy of label information updates and enable rapid responses to market demands, thereby reducing compliance risks.

Conclusion

The formulation and implementation of gift packaging labeling standards are tasks that compliance officers and packaging engineers must prioritize. Adhering to legal standards and ensuring label content is complete and information is clear form the foundation for legally marketing products. Selecting appropriate label materials and environmental markings is a crucial measure in responding to sustainable development. Simultaneously, enhancing label readability and establishing a comprehensive traceability management mechanism help strengthen brand reputation and consumer confidence. Only by comprehensively considering these elements can a professional, compliant labeling system that meets the demands of the modern market be established.