Labeling and Packaging of Food Products – What’s New?

Jack Wiston

On October 10, 2023, the National Agency for Standardization of Indonesia (BSN) issued Regulation No. 9 of 2023 on the Technical Requirements for the Labeling and Packaging of Food Products. This new regulation sets out mandatory requirements for the labeling and packaging of all prepackaged food products sold in Indonesia, regardless of whether they are domestically produced or imported.

Prior to the issuance of this new regulation, the labeling and packaging of food products in Indonesia was regulated by a number of different laws and regulations, including:

• Law No. 18 of 2012 on Food
• Government Regulation No. 69 of 1999 on the Labeling and Packaging of Food
• BSN Regulation No. 7 of 2019 on the Technical Requirements for the Labeling of Food Products

However, these laws and regulations were outdated and fragmented, and they did not provide a comprehensive framework for the labeling and packaging of food products.

The new regulation aims to address these shortcomings by providing a single set of mandatory requirements for the labeling and packaging of food products sold in Indonesia. The new regulation is more comprehensive and up-to-date than the previous laws and regulations, and it is aligned with international best practices, in turn benefitting the exporting sector too.

One of the key changes is the requirement for all food products to be labeled in Indonesian. This requirement is designed to ensure that consumers have access to accurate and complete information about the food products they purchase, regardless of their language skills.

A number of new requirements for the labeling of food products have been introduced, such as:

• The list of ingredients must be in descending order of weight.
• The label must include information about food additives and allergens.
• The label must include the production and expiration dates.

The new regulation also sets out new requirements for the packaging of food products. For example, the packaging must be made of materials that are safe for food contact and must protect the product from damage and contamination.

The new regulation is scheduled to come into effect on October 10, 2024. Food producers and importers will have one year to comply with the new requirements.

The new regulation is expected to have a number of benefits for consumers, including:

• Increased access to accurate and complete information about food products.
• Improved safety and quality of food products.
• Reduced risk of foodborne illness.
• Increased transparency and accountability in the food supply chain.

However, the new regulation is also likely to have some negative consequences for food producers and importers. For example, it will increase their compliance costs and may make it more difficult to export food products to other countries.

Overall, the new regulation is a positive development for consumer protection in Indonesia. It is expected to improve the safety and quality of food products and give consumers access to more information about the food they eat. It is important for food producers and importers to familiarize themselves with the new requirements and to take steps to comply with them before the regulation comes into effect on October 10, 2024.