Mandatory Requirements For Food Labels in South Africa

18 Jul 2018

food labels

Before you’re ready to sell the secret sauce, contest-winning gherkins or flavour-filled jam, there are a few things to consider when creating food labels to stick onto your packaging. We’ve made things easier for you by listing the compulsory information the Department of Health requires to appear on packaging in order for food products to be sold in South Africa.

  1. Product Name

You are required to have a precise product name to inform the customer of exactly what is in the packaging. You can’t just have your brand name, your product name must appear on the label as well. For example, if your business is called Mr Pickles, your food labels need to read ‘Mr Pickles Premium Gherkins.’

  1. Ingredients

All ingredients used to create your product must appear on the food labels in descending order of mass.

  1. Allergens

Any potential allergens must be listed on the labels. For example, if you make pesto, you need to list your products are made using nuts and cheese therefore making them unsuitable for customers with dairy or nut allergies.

  1. Country of Origin

  2. Batch Number

  3. Best Before Date

  4. Nutritional Information

The R429 bill requires all caloric values to appear on food labels in an effort to make consumers more aware of what they are putting into their bodies and of their daily energy intake.

  1. Net Contents

This is the mass of product in the packaging. It could be in millilitres, grams or kilograms depending on the product.

  1. Restrictions

The following words may NOT appear on your food labels:

  • ‘x’ % fat free – instead this must be worded as ‘contains x % of fat’
  • Healthy/wholesome/balanced nutrition or any similar adjectives
  • Suitable For Diabetics/Diabetic-Friendly
  1. Claims

Any specific claims such as ‘sugar free’ or ‘fat free’ or ‘improves digestion’ as examples, are required to be tested in a SANAS accredited lab before they can appear on any food labels.

Don’t be put off by the seemingly stringent regulations as they follow worldwide standards. As consumers, we should be glad that our government has put these requirements in place to protect us and our health.

Shop food labels online…

Need food labels printed? Look no further than StickerAndLabelSA – an online printing service based in Durban. We print any quantity, shape and size, conveniently providing a platform on which you can upload your artwork and have the finished product delivered to your door in 1-2 business days. Simple as that!

8 Considerations When Designing Labels for Your Coffee Brand

16 May 2018

You created a winning blend and you’re ready to take your new coffee brand to market – congratulations! That’s grounds for celebration (see what we did there). An essential step in making your new coffee brand commercial, is ensuring the label meets industry standards.

As important as the design and colours are, there is some vital information that is required to appear on your labels in order to keep consumers informed.

1. Product Name

The brand name must appear on your coffee stickers and labels, as well as what the product is.

2. Net Weight

You are required to include the net weight of the coffee beans or grounds in the packaging on your label. Unless you are exporting to a country that uses the imperial system, ensure the weight is stated in grams or kilograms. For a South African consumer, pounds may as well be written in French – who needs such a complicated measuring system!

3. Name and Address of the Coffee Producer

This need not be your name, but the registered name of your brand. This also does not need to appear on the front label – it can be placed on the back of the packaging.

4. Type of Coffee & Blend

Is it Arabica? Mocha? Bourbon? Is it 100% a specific bean or a blend of beans? Let your new customers know!

5. Roast

Dark roasts are more bitter and stronger, whereas medium roasts won’t put as many hairs on your chest! Be sure to include what kind of roast your beans/grounds are so your customer knows what strength they’re dealing with – not everyone likes a strong cuppa!

6. Premium Quality Status

Not so fast! You can only include this on your label if you have received certification from inspection authorities. They test and grade the quality of your beans before roasting.

7. UTZ Certification

This is a sustainability certification that shows your customers you’re a brand that cares about the environment and sustainably grown coffee beans.

8. Optional Extras

If your blend is 100% organic, you can get special certification and include this status on your stickers and labels.  If your coffee is fair trade certified, this is also another great one to include on your labels.

As you can gather, coffee labelling regulations are far more lax than other food and beverage items, making creating your coffee label far less of a headache! Head to our website to order your labels online. We’ve even got easy to use templates to make the process that much easier for you!

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  • Any size, shape and quantity
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