Front of pack labelling is information placed on the principal display area of a food package, summarising or repeating key mandatory or voluntary details, and it matters in trade because buyers and retailers specify its content and format as part of product approval.
In trade practice
Under Regulation (EU) 1169/2011, certain mandatory particulars must appear in the main field of vision, while voluntary nutrition summaries and interpretive schemes, such as traffic light systems, are placed on the front panel at the manufacturer’s or retailer’s discretion. EU-level harmonisation of voluntary front of pack nutrition schemes remains under discussion. Buyers sourcing from Ukraine for retail often specify front of pack content in their packaging brief, and suppliers must ensure voluntary claims are truthful, not misleading and consistent with the full mandatory nutrition declaration. Artwork approval by the buyer’s technical team is standard practice before production.
In a specification
Retail supply contracts and packaging briefs typically specify which elements must appear on the front of pack, referencing Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 for mandatory items and the buyer’s own brand guidelines for voluntary content.