Label rules › Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan food label requirements for packaging
Packaged food sold in Azerbaijan is labelled under Article 17 of the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan No. 523-VIQ “On food safety” (5 May 2022), in force since 1 January 2023, which replaced the 1999 Law on food products. The Azerbaijan Food Safety Agency (AQTA) enforces it and issues the technical rules behind it. Here is what holds in October 2026, and how Azerbaijani packs are laid out.
Checked: 27 October 2026
Mandatory items
| On the label | Means |
|---|---|
| Məhsulun adı | The name of the food — what it is, not only the brand |
| Tərkibi | The ingredients, food additives included |
| Allergenlər | Allergens in the product — from 1 January 2027 the 14 groups of AQTA's list (gluten cereals, crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts, soy, milk, tree nuts, celery, mustard, sesame, sulphites over 10 mg/kg, lupin, molluscs) |
| Qida və enerji dəyəri | Nutritional and energy value — usually per 100 g / 100 ml: protein, fat, carbohydrate and kcal / kJ |
| Xalis çəki / Həcm | The quantity: net weight in grams or kilograms, or volume for liquids |
| Keyfiyyət göstəriciləri | Quality indicators — the grade or class where the product has one, and the standard it is made to |
| İstehsal tarixi · Yararlılıq müddəti | Date of production and shelf life |
| Saxlanma şəraiti | Storage conditions |
| Mənşə ölkəsi | The origin of the product |
| İstehsalçı | The manufacturer's name and address; for imports, the importer too |
| İstehsal üsulu · İstifadə qaydası | How it is made, where that matters to the buyer, and the rules of use |
| Ştrix-kod | An EAN-13 barcode for retail; GS1 Azerbaijan numbers start with 476 |
What the label must say (Law No. 523-VIQ, Article 17)
Article 17.2.1 gives the consumer detailed information on the food's name, nutritional and energy value, composition, quantity, quality indicators, date of production, shelf life, storage conditions, the allergens it contains, its origin, the manufacturer's name and address, the production method and the rules of use.
The label must be precise, clear and fully understandable (17.2.2). It may not claim effects or properties the food does not have (17.2.3), present properties every similar food has as special (17.2.4), or say that the food prevents human disease or has curative properties (17.2.5). AQTA read this as the end of names such as “müalicəvi” (curative) and “pəhriz” (diet) on food. Agricultural products treated with chemical or biological preparations carry warning notes and signs on the container (17.2.6), and genetically modified content is shown on the label (17.3).
The detailed requirements for packaging and labelling are set by technical normative legal acts on food safety (17.5); AQTA builds them on the Codex Alimentarius and EU rules. Check the current act with your client.
Language: Azerbaijani
Labels are in Azerbaijani, in the Latin alphabet. The Law on the state language (30 September 2002, Article 7) requires labels and other wording on goods made in Azerbaijan to be in Azerbaijani, export goods included; labels, names and instructions of imported goods in other languages come with an Azerbaijani translation. Article 17.4 of the food safety law repeats it for imported food: the name, composition, shelf life and directions for use are translated into Azerbaijani.
Many packs print Russian, English or Turkish beside the Azerbaijani. Put Azerbaijani first and at least as large; an importer may stick an Azerbaijani label over the back of a foreign pack.
Allergens from 2027
A decision of AQTA of 23 April 2026, in force from 1 January 2027, lists 14 groups of allergens to declare when present, following the EU and the Codex: cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts, soy, milk (lactose included), tree nuts, celery, mustard, sesame, sulphur dioxide and sulphites over 10 mg/kg or 10 mg/l, lupin and molluscs. Name them in the ingredients and set them in bold, as EU packs do.
How Azerbaijani packs lay it out
Ingredients follow the word “Tərkibi:” in descending order of weight, additives by name or E number. Nutrition is given per 100 g or 100 ml as protein, fat and carbohydrate in grams and energy in kcal / kJ (“Qida dəyəri”, “Enerji dəyəri”). Dates are written out: “İstehsal tarixi” and “Yararlılıq müddəti” or “… tarixinədək istifadə edin”. Common practice for the date: day, month and year when the shelf life is under three months, month and year when longer.
Then come the storage conditions (“Saxlanma şəraiti”), the net quantity, the country of origin, the manufacturer's full address and, for imports, the importer in Azerbaijan, and an EAN-13 barcode (GS1 Azerbaijan prefix 476).
Laying it out in Drint
- Drint has no Azerbaijan label kit yet and does not check these rules. Lay the label on the back panel with text blocks: Azerbaijani first, other languages beside or below it.
- Paste the client's Azerbaijani text word for word — Drint does not translate — and check that ə, ğ, ı, İ, ş, ç, ö and ü survived the copy from Word or WhatsApp.
- Use Insert for the EAN-13 barcode, and keep curative or diet claims off the pack.
- Check in Export lists text too small or too close to the cut.
Questions
Must the label be in Azerbaijani?
Yes. The Law on the state language requires Azerbaijani on goods made in the country, and imported food must carry an Azerbaijani translation of its name, composition, shelf life and directions (Law No. 523-VIQ, Article 17.4). Other languages may sit beside it.
Can a food say it is good for health?
Not that it prevents or cures disease: Article 17.2.5 forbids it, and AQTA no longer accepts names such as “müalicəvi” or “pəhriz” on food.
Is there a minimum type size?
The law sets none; the label must be clear and fully understandable. Check the technical act in force and keep the net quantity and dates easy to read.
Is a halal mark required?
No. Halal certification is voluntary; print a halal mark only with the client's certificate and the certifier's own logo file.
A summary written to design packs, not legal advice. Check the current texts on e-qanun.az and AQTA's decisions on afsa.gov.az with your client or a food consultant before printing.