Importing Food Products from China: Approval, Labelling

Food products fall under their own regime, built around health safety. Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, known as the General Food Law, sets out the basic principles: traceability at every stage, responsibility of the food business operator, and mandatory withdrawal or recall in the event of an identified risk.

This text is added to the usual customs rules, it does not replace them. An importer of food products remains subject to the EORI number, tariff classification and duties like any other import, with specific health checks added before placing the product on the market.

Traceability works both ways: your supplier must be able to identify where its raw materials come from, and you must be able to identify who you sold each batch to. This requirement applies from the very first shipment, not only when a problem is found after the fact.

For products of animal origin, meat, dairy products, seafood, certain egg products, the Chinese establishment that manufactures or packs them must appear on the list of third-country establishments approved for export to the European Union. Without this listing, the shipment is not authorised to enter, regardless of the product's actual quality.

For other categories, the check mainly concerns the operator and the notification on entry into the Union through the common health management system. Ask your supplier for their approval number or registered operator status before committing to an order, and have it verified rather than relying on a declaration alone.

An approval displayed on an online sales platform or a product sheet does not replace a direct check. Have the establishment's status confirmed before signing a proforma, and not solely on the basis of a document sent by the factory itself.

Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 governs consumer information on food products. It requires the list of ingredients in descending order of weight, mention of allergens, the nutrition declaration, the durability date and the contact details of the food business operator responsible for the information. These particulars must appear in the language of the Member State where the product is sold, French for France.

A Chinese product almost always arrives without compliant labelling: it is up to the importer to have it relabelled or to supply supplementary labelling before it is put on sale. Have the label artwork validated before shipment, not on arrival, when correcting an already-packed batch costs far more.

Dietary supplements fall under a specific framework. Directive 2002/46/EC harmonises the rules on usable vitamins and minerals and their doses, but each Member State keeps its own rules for plants and certain other substances. A product authorised in one EU country may therefore be refused in another.

In France, placing a dietary supplement on the market requires notification to the authorities before the first sale, with the full composition and labelling of the product. This step is up to the company placing the product on the French market, not the Chinese factory, and it must be anticipated before starting series production.

Also check the claims made on the packaging or leaflet. A nutrition or health claim not recognised by European regulation is frequently rejected, even when the product itself is compliant on health grounds. Have the packaging text proofread before printing, not after receiving the batch.

Imported food products are subject to the official controls set out in Regulation (EU) 2017/625, with documentary, identity and sometimes physical checks depending on the product category and its origin. Certain categories from China, regularly reviewed by the European Commission, are subject to enhanced controls and a higher rate of checks on entry.

An incomplete documentary file, a non-compliant label or a missing analysis blocks the shipment at the border control post, with storage costs and a risk of the batch being destroyed. Gather the health documents, the establishment's approval and the analysis reports before shipment, not after.

These checks are added to standard customs clearance, they do not replace it. A product can be in order on the customs side, correct tariff code, consistent customs value, and still be blocked purely on health grounds for lack of a document expected by the border control post.

Sorva is a brokerage and sourcing house. Our Chinese-speaking team in Guangzhou checks the status of the Chinese establishment, the product's composition and the intended labelling before the order, and has the health documents needed for entry into the Union gathered. We also frame the notification and labelling expected by the country of sale, in line with your obligations as an operator.

In most cases, you pay no fees: you open a file with us, we negotiate the goods for you, and we take a commission on their ex-factory value.