Food legislation and food safety – January 2026
Food Contact Materials (FCMs) – rules and regulations
EU: In December 2025, a Note for Guidance on the implementation of the BPA Regulation (EU) 2024/3190 was published. The regulation bans the use of Bisphenol A in FCMs. An SGS article summarises the note for guidance. EuPIA (223 kB) has published the 5th version of the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) - Printing Inks for Food Contact Materials (1.35 MB). A study (3.09 MB) published by the EC identifies four measures with the highest potential to improve sustainability in the FCM sector: harmonised standards and guidance for reusable FCMs; eco-design guidance for FCMs; essentiality test and sector-wide sustainability targets. Australia: The Senate Select Committee on PFAS, chaired by Senator Lidia Thorpe, has released its final report (4.5 MB) on the government’s approach to PFAS. The report makes forty-seven recommendations, including removing PFAS from all FCM packaging. China: Keller and Heckman reports that the NHC has approved expanded usage for three additives for FCMs. Keller and Heckman also reports that the CFSA is soliciting comments on a new additive and expanded use for an additive for FCMs. NL: SGS reports that the Commodities Act Regulation on packaging and consumer products (in Dutch) has been revised. The amendment entered into force on 26 November 2025 and applies retroactively from 1 July 2025. Thailand: SGS reports that the government has published two standards for paper FCMs.
Claims, marking and labelling – rules and regulations
EU: The Council and the EP have reached a provisional agreement on the 'wine package'. Among other things, labelling rules will become more simplified across the EU. Consumers will gain clearer access to information, including through digital labels and pictograms. The term ‘alcohol-free’ will apply to products below 0.5% alcohol, with ‘0.0%’ used for those below 0.05%. The EC has published a briefing (859 kB) on energy drinks and the rising consumption among adolescents. At EU level, no product-specific legislation exists and national rules vary widely. However, Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 does require a mandatory high-caffeine warning label. The EC considers EFSA's 2015 scientific opinion on the safety of caffeine sufficient and sees no need for additional EU-level action at this stage. Austria: Draft legislation, making it compulsory to inform consumers about the price of products with reduced content and increased or unchanged selling price (shrinkflation), has been sent to the EC. Canada: As of 1 January 2026, a front-of-package nutrition symbol is required on foods that are high in one or more of saturated fat, sugars or sodium. NL: As of 1 January 2026, new rules (in Dutch) apply for warnings for cross-contamination with allergens: Precautionary Allergen Labelling (PAL). As of 2026, the NVWA (in Dutch) will be checking whether pre-packaged products comply with the new rules. US: FSIS has published updated guidance to support the implementation of the voluntary “Product of USA” labelling standard that came into effect on 1 January 2026. The claim may only be used for products derived from animals that were born, raised, slaughtered and processed in the US. The FDA has issued a Request for Information on the labelling of gluten in packaged food.
Research
ACS reports on a University of Seville study finding that biodegradable FCMs could transfer gluten to foods. FPF reports on three studies comparing virgin and recycled PET FCMs. The studies show that contamination increases along the recycling chain and that the diversity and levels of chemicals are mostly greater in recycled PET. The studies reinforce safety concerns about the use of recycled PET in food contact.
NVC members receive this information with all the relevant links in the monthly NVC Members-only Update. If you have any questions, please contact us: info@nvc.nl, +31-(0)182-512411