Latest Packaging Laws and Regulations in 2026

China's packaging sector has formed a compliance system with higher-level laws as the overarching framework, dedicated regulations as support and mandatory national standards as the baseline, focusing on safety labeling, excessive packaging governance, green transformation and microplastics control.

1. Core laws and regulations (by application scenario)

General compliance basis for packaging

The Product Quality Law: producers must ensure that packaging meets the national/industry standards for protecting personal and property safety.

The Law on the Protection of Consumer Rights and Interests: packaging information must be true and complete, and false advertising is prohibited; consumers have the right to know the true situation of goods.

The Advertising Law, the Anti-Unfair Competition Law and the Trademark Law: these regulate the text, graphics and brand mark content on packaging.

Special rules for food packaging (currently the most strictly regulated area)

The Food Safety Law and its implementing regulations: these set out clear safety requirements for food-contact materials.

The Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Food Labeling (Order No. 100 of the State Administration for Market Regulation): effective March 16, 2027 (currently in a transition period). Key new rules include:

the production date/expiry date of the shelf life must be placed in an independent area and marked in black on a white background;

font height requirements raised in tiers: on packaging of ≥35cm², date characters must be at least 3.0mm high, and other mandatory content at least 1.8-2.5mm (depending on area);

where a name contains a flavor but there is no corresponding ingredient, it must be prefixed with “X flavor”; non-health foods are prohibited from claiming functions or being labelled “special supply.”

Supporting standard: GB 7718-2025 General Standard for the Labeling of Prepackaged Foods is being advanced in parallel.

Express/logistics packaging (now fully mandatory)

The Interim Regulations on Express Delivery (revised in June 2025): adds a dedicated chapter on “express packaging,” requiring resource conservation, avoidance of excessive packaging and compliance with mandatory national standards.

GB 45186-2024 Requirements for Limiting Excessive Express Packaging: officially implemented on July 1, 2026, with hard indicators:

packaging layers: non-fragile items ≤2 layers, fragile/fresh items ≤3-4 layers;

tape width ≤45mm, with total length limited as a multiple of box perimeter (3-5 times);

box size must fit the inner items (upper limit on body diagonal ratio 1.5-2.5 times).

Penalties for violations: postal management authorities may impose fines of 5,000-20,000 yuan (for example, for failing to establish a recycling system).

Environmental protection and green transformation (major breakthrough in 2026)

The Ecological Environment Code (effective in 2026): for the first time brings microplastics into the statutory scope of new pollutant governance, establishing:

full life-cycle supervision (design → production → disposal → recycling);

statutory establishment of extended producer responsibility;

a ban on ultra-thin/non-degradable single-use plastic packaging (in key scenarios such as express delivery and food delivery);

tiered penalties for violations (10,000-1,000,000 yuan), supported by daily continuing penalties and credit sanctions.

The Law on the Prevention and Control of Environmental Pollution by Solid Waste: this underpins source reduction of plastic packaging and the building of a recycling system.

1. International benchmarking notes (for exporters)

The EU PPWR regulation ((EU) 2025/40): fully applicable from August 12, 2026, recognizing both aerobic composting and anaerobic digestion degradation pathways; mandatory recycled content ratios and reusable design become hard thresholds.

China's export packaging must simultaneously satisfy the domestic Ecological Environment Code and the green barriers of target markets (such as microplastic release limits and carbon footprint accounting).

1. Key points for implementation

✅ Current priorities: the new national standard for express packaging is already being enforced; food labels follow the old standard but must be adapted in advance to the 2027 new rules; plastic packaging companies must launch microplastics compliance assessments.

⚠️ Transition period risk: although the Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Food Labeling take effect in 2027, market regulators have already begun awareness campaigns and self-inspection guidance, so it is advisable to rectify fonts and date labeling methods in advance.

——This article is reprinted from China Packaging Network (pack.cn). Original link: http://news.pack.cn/show-379873.html