If you’ve ever ordered custom labels for products that need to cross borders—whether it’s a handmade candle heading to the EU, a pet supplement bound for Canada, or a tech component going to Australia—you know the frustration of sending a shipment that gets stuck at customs because of non-compliant labels. As a third-generation label supplier, I’ve spent the last 18 years troubleshooting these exact issues for brands of all sizes, from local food artisans to global electronics manufacturers. It’s not just about making a label that looks good; it’s about building a label that speaks multiple regulatory languages, meets material safety standards, and stands up to the conditions it will face thousands of miles from home. In this post, I’ll walk through the core steps I share with every client who asks, “How do I make labels that are actually compliant with international standards?”—no confusing jargon, just real-world advice from someone who’s seen the consequences of cutting corners. Labels
Start with Your Target Market (And Regulator Contact Info)
The biggest mistake I see new clients make is designing labels first, then scrambling to check rules for their destination country. Every major market has a dedicated regulator that publishes clear (if sometimes lengthy) rules for labels, and starting there saves you months of rework and thousands in wasted labels.
For example, if you’re shipping to the European Economic Area (EEA), the key rules come from two core regulations: the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) and the Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) rules that align with EU single-market requirements. The EU’s Health and Food Authority (EFSA) has a dedicated label portal that breaks down rules for food, cosmetics, and chemicals specifically. For Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Health Canada mandate bilingual labels (English and French) for most consumer products, with specific font size rules for allergen warnings, nutrition facts panels, and ingredient lists. Australia and New Zealand follow separate rules overseen by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), which requires specific formatting for ingredient names and warning statements for products like cleaning supplies or herbal remedies.
I always tell clients to reach out directly to these regulators early—most have free, live customer support teams that will answer specific questions about their product. For instance, a few years back, a small craft brewery client wanted to ship beer to Germany; they’d designed labels that used “light” to describe their brew, which the German regulator flagged because it didn’t meet strict calorie content requirements for beer labeled “light.” If they’d asked the regulator first, we could have adjusted the wording before printing 5,000 incorrect labels.
Align Label Content with Regional Mandatory Requirements
Once you know which regulator to work with, the next step is mapping your label content to mandatory requirements that apply to every product type. This is where it’s easy to slip up, even if you’ve shipped products internationally before.
First, mandatory text is non-negotiable. For food products, that means ingredient lists ordered by weight (from highest to lowest), allergen statements (like “contains milk” or “may contain nuts”), and nutrition facts panels that follow a specific template. For cosmetics, the EU requires a list of all ingredients by INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) name, not just common names—so “sodium lauryl sulfate” not “foaming agent.” For electronics, RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) directives in the EU and Canada ban labels that show hazardous materials like lead or mercury, while FCC certification marks are mandatory for any electronics sold in the U.S. to confirm they meet electromagnetic interference standards.
Font size and formatting rules are another critical, often overlooked detail. Many countries have minimum font sizes for safety warnings and contact information: the EU requires warning text to be at least 1.2 mm tall for labels up to 80 cm², while CFIA requires allergen statements to be in bold, uppercase text. I once had a client who lost a $12,000 shipment of organic skincare to customs because their allergy warning for nut oil was in a 8-point font, well below Canada’s 10-point minimum. We fixed that for their next order, but the delay cost them a big retail order in Toronto.
Language requirements vary too. The EU, as a single market, doesn’t require every member state’s language, but all text must be clear and readable for consumers in the destination country. For Canada, bilingual English and French labels are mandatory for most pre-packaged goods, with no extra fees for adding both languages if we design the layout from the start. Australia requires all text to be in English, with no translation for common terms, so we avoid complex regional slang that might not translate clearly for international consumers.
Choose Label Materials That Meet International Safety and Durability Standards
Compliance isn’t just about words on a label—it’s about the material holding up long enough to be read by the end user, and not posing a safety risk. Many countries have strict material standards that apply to labels, especially for food, pharmaceuticals, and children’s products.
For food contact labels in the U.S. and EEA, materials must meet FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) and EU 10/2011 standards for plastic, and EU 1935/2004 for all materials that come into contact with food. These rules limit substances that can leach into food—so we can’t use certain adhesives or inks on labels for jars of jam or yogurt, for example. A few years ago, a snack food client tried to use a lower-cost vinyl adhesive for labels on granola bars bound for the UK; our quality team caught that the adhesive wasn’t approved for food contact under EU rules, so we switched to a food-safe acrylic adhesive at no extra cost, avoiding a shipment hold at Heathrow.
Durability matters too, especially for products that are shipped in cold or humid conditions. Labels for products going to Scandinavia or Canada, for example, need to resist cold temperatures down to -20°C and high humidity to prevent peeling. For beach or pool products sold in Florida or Australia, labels need to resist UV exposure and saltwater. The EU’s REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals) regulation bans certain phthalates and other chemicals that make labels flexible but can be harmful to consumers, so we only use inks and materials that are REACH-compliant for all our international clients.
Verify Certifications and Marks for Customs Clearance
Customs agents won’t accept a generic “compliant” label—they need to see official certifications or marks that prove your label meets international standards. These marks vary by product and region, but they’re non-negotiable for getting your shipment cleared.
Common mandatory marks include:
- The CE mark for products sold in the EEA (covers safety, health, and environmental protection, required for electronics, toys, and machinery)
- The Energy Star mark for appliances sold in the U.S., Canada, and EU, to prove energy efficiency
- The kosher or halal marks for food and personal care products targeting religious consumers, though these are voluntary in most regions except for some Middle Eastern markets where they may be required
- The UPC or GS1 barcodes, which are mandatory for most retail products sold internationally to be scanned at checkout
I always advise clients to get these certifications in writing before we print labels. For example, a pet supplement client wanted to export to Australia and needed an FSANZ-approved mark on their labels. The brand owner had a printed certificate, but it didn’t cover the specific formulation of their supplement, so we had to delay printing by two weeks to update the certification—something the client would have missed if they hadn’t asked for written proof.
Work with a Label Supplier That Specializes in International Compliance
As a label supplier, my team and I handle these compliance checks every single day, which means we can spot issues before they become costly mistakes. Here’s how to partner with a supplier that knows international rules:
First, share your full destination details upfront—don’t just say “sold in Europe.” Tell us which country (France vs. Poland have slightly different font size rules for food) and the product type (a toy vs. a skincare product has very different standards). The more details you give us, the more we can tailor the label.
Second, ask for proof of compliance. A reliable supplier should be able to provide documentation of food-safe materials, REACH compliance, and experience with regulatory rules for your target market. Avoid suppliers that only offer generic “international labels” without specific details about which regions they’re approved for.
Third, order a small test run first before printing a full batch. We always recommend our clients order a 50 or 100-label sample to check formatting, font size, and material durability, especially if it’s their first time shipping to a new market. Last year, a clothing boutique ordered labels for their new line bound for Germany; the test run showed that the country of origin text was too small, so we adjusted it before printing 10,000 labels, saving them from a hold at customs.
Final Thoughts: Compliance Saves Time (and Money)
Over the years, I’ve seen too many small brands lose time, revenue, and customer trust because of non-compliant labels. A $5,000 shipment stuck at customs for two weeks can mean missing a holiday sales window, and reprinting labels is not just a material cost—it’s the delay that costs you orders.
The good news is that making compliant labels doesn’t have to be complicated. Start with your target regulator, map content to mandatory requirements, choose materials that meet safety standards, verify certifications, and partner with a supplier that speaks the same regulatory language.
Food & Beverage Labels If you’re getting ready to launch a product for international sale and want to make sure your labels are compliant, reach out to our team to discuss your project. We’ll walk through every step of the process, answer your questions, and make sure your labels not only meet international standards but also look great on your products. Let’s turn your product’s labels into a tool that builds trust with regulators and consumers, not a barrier to getting your products to market.
References
- European Commission General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR)
- Health Canada Canadian Food Inspection Agency Labeling Requirements
- Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) Food Standards Code
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Contact Substances Rules
- EU REACH Regulation on Chemicals in Products
SpeedPrint Era (Xiamen) Digital Co., Ltd.
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