Food packaging is more than design. It’s a legal tool to give consumers clear, honest information. In the EU, labels must comply with Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers. The Regulation specifies what must appear, but it doesn’t literally prescribe a “front” vs. “back” panel; it requires that information be clear, legible, and easy to find (some items must appear in the principal field of vision, typically the front).
Mandatory information includes, among others:
- Name of the food – the legal or customary name.
- Ingredients list – in descending order by weight.
- Allergen information – allergens emphasized within the ingredients list.
- QUID – the quantity of highlighted ingredients (e.g., “with 20% strawberries”).
- Net quantity – weight or volume (g/kg/ml/L).
- Date of minimum durability (“best before”) or use-by date.
- Any special storage conditions and/or conditions of use.
- Name and address of the food business operator (FBO).
- Country of origin/place of provenance (where required or if omission could mislead).
- Instructions for use (when necessary).
- Actual alcoholic strength for beverages >1.2% vol.
- Nutrition declaration – energy (kJ/kcal) plus fat, saturates, carbohydrate, sugars, protein, and salt.
- Specific warnings/indications where applicable (e.g., certain sweeteners, added caffeine).
Understanding these requirements helps you make informed choices and supports transparency across the food industry. Below, I explain these rules step by step in simple terms.
Front-of-the-package
Here you will usually find an attractive information and images. This includes: the name of the food, the net quantity, and the alcohol content (where relevant).
Back-of-the-package
Here you will usually finf other mandatory details, e.g., full nutrition table, ingredients list, allergens, storage instructions, operator details, durability date like “use by” or “best before”.