EU Food Labelling Requirements for Dried Fruit
Exporting dried fruit to the European Union requires more than meeting food safety and quality standards. Products must also comply with EU food labelling requirements before they can be marketed to consumers.
For prepacked dried fruit, the main framework is Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers, commonly known as the Food Information to Consumers (FIC) Regulation. It establishes mandatory information that must appear on most prepacked foods sold in the EU.
For exporters of dried mango, dried pineapple, dried banana, raisins, dried berries and other dried fruit products, understanding these requirements helps prevent label corrections, customs issues and delays when entering the European market.
1. Product Name
The label must clearly identify the nature of the food.
For example:
- Dried Mango
- Soft Dried Mango
- Dried Pineapple
- Dried Banana
- Dried Cranberries
The product name should accurately describe the product and should not mislead consumers.
If the product has undergone a particular treatment or has characteristics that consumers need to know, additional wording may be necessary.
For example, depending on the product:
- Sweetened dried mango
- Sulphited dried mango
- Soft dried mango
- Dried mango with added sugar
The product description should therefore match the actual composition and processing method.
2. Ingredients List
For prepacked foods containing more than one ingredient, ingredients generally need to be listed in descending order by weight.
For example, a sweetened dried mango product could have an ingredients list such as:
Ingredients: Mango, sugar, preservative: sulphur dioxide.
Food additives used in the product must also be appropriately declared.
If a product contains only one ingredient, the labelling situation can be simpler. However, exporters should still assess the complete formulation and applicable EU requirements rather than assuming that a single-ingredient product has no labelling obligations.
3. Allergen Labelling
Allergen declaration is particularly important for dried fruit exporters.
EU legislation identifies 14 categories of substances or products that can cause allergies or intolerances. Among them are nuts and sulphur dioxide and sulphites above the applicable threshold.
This is especially relevant when exporting products such as:
- Dried fruit containing sulphites
- Dried fruit mixed with cashews
- Dried fruit mixed with almonds or other tree nuts
- Chocolate-covered dried fruit containing nuts or milk
Where an allergen is present, it must be emphasised in the ingredients list, for example through a different font, style or background.
Sulphites in Dried Fruit
Sulphur dioxide and sulphites are particularly relevant to dried mango and other dried fruit products.
Under Annex II of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, sulphur dioxide and sulphites must be treated as allergens when their concentration exceeds 10 mg/kg or 10 mg/L, expressed as total SO₂, calculated for the product as sold or prepared according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Therefore, an exporter should not simply describe a product as “sulphite-free” based on the absence of intentionally added sulphites. The actual analytical result and the applicable EU threshold should be considered.
4. Net Quantity
The net quantity of the food must be clearly indicated.
For dried fruit, this is normally expressed in grams or kilograms depending on the packaging format.
Examples:
- Net Weight: 100 g
- Net Weight: 250 g
- Net Weight: 500 g
- Net Weight: 1 kg
The declared quantity should correspond to the actual product quantity and comply with applicable EU measurement and presentation requirements.
5. Date Marking
Dried fruit labels generally need an appropriate date indication, such as a “Best before” date.
The best-before date relates primarily to the period during which the food is expected to retain its appropriate quality when properly stored.
The appropriate date format and wording should be determined according to the product’s characteristics and applicable EU requirements.
Exporters should also ensure that the shelf life stated on the label is supported by product stability and quality information.
6. Storage Conditions
Where special storage conditions are necessary to maintain the product’s safety or quality, these conditions should be stated on the label.
For dried fruit, storage instructions may include wording such as:
Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
For products particularly sensitive to moisture, temperature or other environmental conditions, more specific instructions may be appropriate.
This is important for products such as soft-dried mango, where packaging and storage conditions can significantly affect texture, moisture migration and shelf life.
7. Food Business Operator or EU Importer Information
The label must provide the name or business name and address of the food business operator responsible for the food information.
For imported products, this is particularly important because the relevant EU food business operator or importer may need to be identified on the label.
Therefore, an exporter outside the EU should coordinate with the European importer before finalising retail packaging.
The importer should confirm:
- Legal company name
- Address
- Required label wording
- Country-specific language requirements
- Responsibility for the final consumer label
The exact responsibility can depend on the commercial structure and how the product is marketed in the EU.
8. Country of Origin
Origin labelling requires careful attention.
Under Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, country of origin or place of provenance is mandatory where failing to provide it could mislead consumers about the true origin of the food. EU legislation also contains specific origin requirements for certain categories of food.
For a Vietnamese dried mango product, exporters should therefore carefully review how the product’s origin is presented, particularly if the packaging contains references to another country or location.
If a food’s origin is voluntarily indicated and the primary ingredient comes from a different country, additional EU rules on primary-ingredient origin may become relevant.
For this reason, exporters should review statements such as:
Product of Vietnam
or
Made in Vietnam
together with any other geographical references on the packaging.
9. Nutrition Declaration
Most prepacked foods sold in the EU must carry a nutrition declaration.
The mandatory nutrition information includes:
- Energy
- Fat
- Saturates
- Carbohydrate
- Sugars
- Protein
- Salt
The information is generally presented per 100 g or 100 ml, with additional serving information allowed under the applicable rules.
For dried fruit, a typical nutrition panel may therefore include:
| Nutrient | Per 100 g |
|---|---|
| Energy | XXXX kJ / XXX kcal |
| Fat | X.X g |
| of which saturates | X.X g |
| Carbohydrate | XX.X g |
| of which sugars | XX.X g |
| Protein | X.X g |
| Salt | X.XX g |
The actual values must be based on appropriate product data and should not simply be copied from another product.
10. Language Requirements
EU food labelling is not necessarily a one-language system.
Food information must be provided in a language that is easily understood by consumers in the Member State where the food is marketed. Member States may require the use of one or more of their official languages.
Therefore, a dried mango label intended for Germany may need German-language information, while a product marketed in France may need French.
Exporters selling across multiple EU markets should discuss language requirements with their importer or distributor before printing large quantities of packaging.
11. Legibility and Label Presentation
Having all required information is not enough. The information must also be presented in a way that consumers can easily read.
EU rules establish requirements concerning the presentation and legibility of mandatory food information, including minimum character-size requirements.
For most mandatory information, the x-height of the font must generally be at least 1.2 mm. For packaging whose largest surface area is less than 80 cm², a reduced minimum of 0.9 mm applies.
This means exporters should consider label dimensions during packaging design rather than adding regulatory information after the artwork has already been completed.
12. Online Sales and E-commerce
EU food information requirements also apply to foods sold through distance selling.
For prepacked food sold online, mandatory food information must generally be available to consumers before the purchase is completed, with the date marking being one of the items that can be provided at the time of delivery.
This is increasingly relevant for dried fruit exporters selling through:
- Online supermarkets
- E-commerce platforms
- B2B online stores
- Direct-to-consumer websites
The information shown online should therefore be consistent with the actual retail packaging.
13. Claims Such as “Sugar-Free” and “No Added Sugar”
Dried fruit exporters should be careful when using nutritional or marketing claims.
Statements such as:
- Sugar-free
- No added sugar
- Low sugar
- High fibre
- Natural
- Healthy
should not be treated as simple marketing phrases when they fall within regulated nutrition or health claims.
For example, a product marketed as “sugar-free” must satisfy the applicable EU conditions for that claim.
Similarly, “no added sugar” has specific regulatory conditions and does not simply mean that the exporter did not add refined sugar during the final manufacturing step.
Any claim should therefore be checked against the applicable EU legislation before it is printed on the package.
14. Practical Checklist for Dried Fruit Exporters
Before shipping retail-packed dried fruit to an EU buyer, exporters should review the following:
| Label item | Check |
|---|---|
| Product name | Clearly identifies the food |
| Ingredients | Correct order and complete |
| Allergens | Properly identified and emphasised |
| Sulphites | Check whether declaration is required |
| Net quantity | Correct unit and quantity |
| Best-before date | Correctly presented |
| Storage conditions | Appropriate for the product |
| EU food business operator/importer | Correct legal information |
| Country of origin | Correct and non-misleading |
| Nutrition declaration | Complete and accurate |
| Language | Suitable for the target EU market |
| Font size | Legible and compliant |
| Claims | Supported and legally permitted |
| Online information | Consistent with packaging |
15. Key Takeaway for Dried Fruit Exporters
For Vietnamese dried fruit exporters, EU food labelling compliance should be considered during product development and packaging design—not only immediately before shipment.
The most important starting point is Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, which establishes the general framework for food information provided to EU consumers. However, specific products may also be subject to additional EU or national requirements.
Exporters should therefore work with their EU importer to confirm the final label for the specific destination country and product.
The European Commission’s Food Labelling Information System (FLIS) can also be used to check mandatory labelling indications in the EU’s 23 official languages. The Commission notes, however, that FLIS is a documentation tool rather than legally binding legislation; the authentic legal texts remain the relevant EU legislation published in the Official Journal and EUR-Lex.
For Vietnamese suppliers of dried mango, dried pineapple, dried banana and other dried fruit products, getting the label right from the beginning can make the export process smoother and reduce the risk of costly packaging changes after production.