The new EU labeling regulation might seem very complicated at first. The law, which applies to all wines sold within the EU, can actually be complied with in three simple steps. Our article will show you how.
Background: According to the law that came into effect last year, all wines and sparkling wines made after December 8, 2023, must display the nutritional content of the product and a list of ingredients.
It is also necessary to include the energy content (KJ/Kcal) and detailed highlighting of allergens, as well as in all local languages, so the EU recommends the use of QR codes.
Step 1: List of Ingredients and Allergens
According to EU law, all wine labels must clearly indicate whether the product contains common allergens (e.g., sulfites). Allergenic ingredients should be specifically highlighted on the list, e.g., in bold or a different font - the aim is to make it easy and simple for consumers to understand.
Tip: List ingredients in descending order of quantity.
Clearly indicate all ingredients, including additives and preservatives. Check the composition of your wines and make sure all allergens are listed on the label. If you are lacking space, use a QR code to provide consumers with access to detailed information.*
Step 2: Nutrition Table and Energy Value
Regardless of the method you will be using, the energy value (KJ/Kcal) should be added to the physical label, while the nutritional values should be presented in a standardized table in the same way as for other foods.
Winefo's recommended format:
E (/ 100 ml): 259 kJ / 62 Kcal
Tip: Calculate the energy content of your products and display it prominently on the label.
With Winefo's built-in energy calculator, it only takes a few seconds to accurately calculate the values. To do this, specify the following values:
Alcohol content (%)
Grams of sugar per liter
Grams of organic acid per liter
Grams of polyols (glycerol) per liter
Create a clear, easy-to-understand nutrition table for each of your wine labels. Remember that this data should be given in 100 ml, not liters. If you have trouble adding the table to your physical label, use a QR code instead. In this case, you must clearly highlight that the nutritional table and the list of ingredients are available after scanning the QR code.
To do so, simply add the title "Nutritional declaration and ingredients" before or above the QR code.
Step 3: Language Requirements
Finally, information on wine labels must be available in all languages of the country where the wine is marketed. This ensures that all consumers, regardless of the language they speak, understand important product information.
Make sure that the information on the label is available in the official languages of the exporting countries. If there is not enough space on the label, use a QR code that provides consumers with multilingual information. With Winefo, this is done by automatic translation into all 24 EU languages, and the data is first displayed in the language of the smart device.
Summary
Indication of necessary information on the label:
Detailed list of ingredients, including additives (optional use of QR code)
Indication of energy value (kJ/Kcal) and allergens on the physical label
Standardized nutrition table (optional use of QR code)
Language requirements: translation of all information also into the languages of the exporting country (optional use of QR code)
We hope this guide will help you understand and comply with the labeling laws. Please remember: wineries are subject to serious fines up to EUR 40,000 in case of non-compliance, therefore, this regulation should be taken seriously.