Label rules › Hong Kong
Hong Kong pre-packaged food label requirements
Pre-packaged food sold in Hong Kong follows the Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) Regulations, Cap. 132W. Schedule 3 lists the name, the list of ingredients, allergens, the date mark, storage, the count, weight or volume and the maker or packer; since 1 July 2010 the nutrition label shows energy and seven core nutrients — “1+7”. Here is what goes on the pack, and how to lay it out.
Checked: 26 October 2026
Mandatory items
| On the label | Means |
|---|---|
| 食物名稱 · Name of food | The name of the food, not misleading |
| 配料表 · Ingredients | Ingredients in descending order of weight, under that heading |
| 致敏物質 | The eight allergen groups named in the list: gluten cereals, crustacea, eggs, fish, peanuts and soya, milk, tree nuts; sulphite of 10 ppm or more |
| 此日期前最佳 · Best before | “Best before” or, for highly perishable food, “Use by” (此日期或之前食用), with the date |
| 貯存方式 · 使用說明 | Special storage conditions or instructions for use, when needed |
| 數量 · 重量 · 容量 | Count, weight or volume (metric) |
| 製造商 · 包裝商 | Name and address of the manufacturer or packer (or of the distributor, with the country of origin) |
| 營養標籤 · 1+7 | Energy and seven nutrients: protein, carbohydrates, total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, sugars, per 100 g / ml or per serving |
The items of Schedule 3
Unless exempted, the label shows legibly: the name of the food; the list of ingredients, under that heading, in descending order of weight; allergens; “best before” (此日期前最佳) or “use by” (此日期或之前食用) with the date; special storage conditions or instructions for use; the count, weight or volume; and the name and address of the manufacturer or packer.
The label is in English or Chinese or both; when both are used, the name of the food and the list of ingredients appear in both. Selling food that breaks the rules carries a fine of HK$50,000 and six months’ imprisonment.
Allergens
Cereals containing gluten, crustacea, eggs, fish, peanuts and soybeans, milk (lactose included), tree nuts, and sulphite at 10 ppm or more are named in the list of ingredients.
The “1+7” nutrition label
Energy, plus protein, carbohydrates, total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, sodium and sugars, and any nutrient that is claimed — per 100 g (or ml) or per serving, energy in kcal or kJ.
A product selling 30,000 units or fewer a year in Hong Kong and making no nutrition claim may apply to the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department for the Small Volume Exemption; a product with a claim cannot.
Laying it out in Drint
- In the studio, click Insert → Product label and choose the market Hong Kong.
- Paste the client’s checked Chinese with English beside it — Drint does not translate. With both languages, the name and the ingredients are in both.
- The block sets “此日期前最佳 / Best before” with the date; for highly perishable food write “此日期或之前食用 / Use by” instead.
- Insert → Nutrition table → Table (Hong Kong) lays out the bilingual “1+7” label per 100 g (ml) or per serving.
- Check in Export lists the items still missing; export the CMYK PDF/X-4 for the printer, with the die on its own layer.
Questions
Must the label be in Chinese?
No. Cap. 132W accepts English or Chinese or both; when both are used, the name and the list of ingredients appear in both.
How is the date written?
“Best before” (此日期前最佳), or “use by” (此日期或之前食用) for highly perishable food, followed by the date and any storage the date depends on.
Do small runs need the nutrition label?
A product selling 30,000 units or fewer a year with no nutrition claim may apply for the Small Volume Exemption; until it is granted, the label is needed.
Can a Taiwan pack be sold in Hong Kong as it is?
The rules differ: Hong Kong asks for the “1+7” label and its own date wording, Taiwan follows Article 22 of its food act. Make a Hong Kong label, or a sticker, before export.
A summary written to design packs, not legal advice. Check Cap. 132W on Hong Kong e-Legislation and the Centre for Food Safety’s latest guidance with your client or a regulatory consultant before printing.