What is a food entrepreneur's worst nightmare? Having thousands of carefully made and packed products pulled from the shelves during an inspection because of one small piece of missing information on the label.
Our experience is clear: a food label is not just brand space, it is a legal declaration. Food labelling rules (such as EU Regulation 1169/2011 and the Turkish Food Codex, which follows it closely) are strict. As we often tell customers: "Design catches the eye, but compliance keeps the brand standing."
So what should you put on your label, and how, without getting lost in legal terms? Here is the checklist that helps you pass inspections. Always confirm the exact rules for the market where you sell.
Mandatory Information on Food Labels
When an inspector or an informed shopper picks up your product, they expect to find all of the following:
- Name of the food: e.g. "Strawberry Jam" or "Fermented Sausage". This is the legal name that tells the consumer what they are buying.
- Ingredients list: Everything used in the product, listed in descending order of weight (more on this below).
- Allergens: The most critical point. Allergens such as gluten, soy, milk and nuts must stand out from the rest of the list in bold, italics or underlined.
- Net quantity: The weight or volume (grams, kilograms, litres).
- Date marking: "Best before" for products with a long shelf life, "use by" for highly perishable ones.
- Storage conditions: e.g. "Store in a cool, dry place" or "Keep refrigerated at +4°C".
- Business registration / approval number: The producer's official registration code.
- Country of origin: Where required, e.g. "Made in Turkey".
- Instructions for use: If the product needs special preparation.
Fitting all this into a small area while still looking good is hard. That's why we recommend high-resolution label and sticker printing where even small text stays clearly readable. Text that can't be read might as well not be there.
What Should the Ingredients List Look Like?
This is where customers make the most mistakes. "I only used a tiny bit, do I have to list it?" Yes. Every ingredient and additive must be listed.
- Order matters: Ingredients are listed from highest to lowest weight at the time of production.
- E-numbers: Additives should be listed with their function, e.g. "Thickener (pectin)" or with the E-number.
- Font size: Under EU rules, the x-height (lowercase letter height) must be at least 1.2 mm, or 0.9 mm on very small packs.
| Information | Status | What to Watch |
|---|---|---|
| Nutrition declaration | Mandatory | Energy, fat, saturates, carbohydrate, sugars, protein and salt per 100 g/ml. |
| Allergens | Critical | Must be typographically emphasised (e.g. WHEAT FLOUR). |
| Market-specific statements | Where required | Some markets expect extra statements (e.g. alcohol content or dietary declarations). Check local rules. |
Additional Information on Food Labels
That covers the mandatory part. What about marketing claims? If your label makes a claim, you have to be able to back it up.
- Nutrition claims: To print "Source of protein" or "No added sugar", lab results must meet the limits set in the regulations. You can't write "Low calorie" just because it sounds good.
- Lot number: Essential for traceability and possible recalls. It usually starts with "L".
Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them
The most common mistake we see is designers shrinking text until it's unreadable for the sake of looks, or choosing text and background colours that are too close (poor contrast). The rule is clear: information must be easy to see and read.
The label material matters as much as the text. Use a paper label on a refrigerated product and moisture can smear the text, taking your legal information with it. For these products, choose water- and moisture-resistant opaque PP sheet labels, or opaque PP roll labels for larger runs. For dry foods, economical glossy paper sheet labels are enough. Our label material guide helps you decide.
Preparing labels for a food product?
Sheet labels for jars, bottles and packs, available in flexible quantities. Pick your size, upload your design and see the price instantly.
We Help You Create Compliant Labels
Regulations can feel complicated, but you don't have to handle them alone. Otiket has managed label projects for many food brands, designing and printing labels that are compliant and stand out on the shelf.
For samples or technical support for your new product, reach us through our contact page. Let's get your product on the shelf with confidence.
