EU 1169/2011
Food Labeling Compliance
The complete guide to EU Regulation 1169/2011 for food businesses. Everything you need to know about mandatory nutrition declarations, allergen requirements, and compliance.
Create Your First Compliant LabelWhat Is EU Regulation 1169/2011?
EU Regulation 1169/2011 (also called FIC — Food Information to Consumers) is the core European law governing what information must appear on food labels.
It came into full force on 13 December 2014, with the mandatory nutrition declaration requirements applying to most pre-packaged foods from that date.
Every food business selling pre-packaged food in the EU must comply.
Who Does It Apply To?
✅ Applies To:
- All pre-packaged food sold to end consumers in the EU
- Food sold by caterers when sold as pre-packaged
- Online food retailers shipping to EU customers
- Imported food products sold in the EU
❌ Exempt:
- •Non-pre-packaged food (loose/fresh items)
- •Food packed at point of sale by request
- •Small quantities direct from producer to local retail
💡 Important for Netherlands: Even if your main service is unpackaged, if you sell any pre-packaged meals, those products need compliant labels.
The 7 Mandatory Nutrition Declaration Fields
Under Article 30 of EU 1169/2011, every nutrition label must include these in this exact order:
Per 100g or 100ml? Values must be expressed per 100g or 100ml. You may also add per portion, but per 100g is mandatory.
The 14 EU Mandatory Allergens
Under Annex II of EU 1169/2011, these 14 allergens must be declared and highlighted in the ingredients list:
Cereals containing gluten
wheat, rye, barley, oats
Crustaceans
shrimp, crab, lobster
Eggs
chicken eggs, egg products
Fish
all fish species
Peanuts
groundnuts, peanut oil
Soybeans
soy, tofu, soy sauce
Milk
lactose, whey, butter
Nuts
almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews
Celery
celery root, celery seeds
Mustard
mustard seeds, mustard powder
Sesame
sesame seeds, tahini
Sulphites
wine, dried fruits (>10mg/kg)
Lupin
lupin flour, lupin seeds
Molluscs
mussels, oysters, squid
Allergens must be visually differentiated from the rest of the ingredient list (bold, italic, or color).
Format Requirements
Font Size
Minimum 1.2mm x-height (height of lowercase letters)
For packages with largest surface < 80cm²: minimum 0.9mm
Legibility
Must be legible, indelible, clearly visible
Language
Must be in the official language(s) of the country where marketed
Date Marking
Best Before (THT in Dutch)
Quality date — product is still safe after this date but quality may decline
Used for shelf-stable products
Use By (TGT in Dutch)
Safety date — must not be consumed after this date
Required for most catering/meal prep products
For most catering/meal prep products, "Use by" is required.
The Cost of Non-Compliance
The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) enforces EU food labeling rules.
Penalties can include:
- Official warnings
- Product recalls
- Fines up to €50,000+ for serious or repeat violations
- Reputational damage and loss of business licenses
Don't rely on Excel spreadsheets or guesswork. Use a tool built for compliance.
How NutriLabel.io Makes Compliance Easy
NutriLabel.io was built specifically to make EU 1169/2011 compliance accessible to small and medium food businesses:
- Automatic nutrition calculation from ingredients
- All 14 allergens auto-detected and highlighted
- Correct nutrient order enforced automatically
- Proper date format (DD/MM/YYYY — EU standard)
- Print-ready formats for thermal and sticker printing
Frequently Asked Questions
Does EU 1169/2011 apply to catering businesses?
Yes, to the extent that food is pre-packaged. If you sell pre-made meal containers, packed takeaways, or retail-ready products, labels are required.
Do I need to list ingredients on the label?
Yes — the ingredients list is mandatory for most pre-packaged foods, with allergens highlighted. The ingredient list must be in descending order of weight.
Is salt the same as sodium on EU labels?
EU labels declare "salt" (not sodium). Salt = sodium × 2.5. This is different from US FDA labels which declare sodium.