Compliance is decided at the artwork stage, not at the border. A pack that misses the right symbol, responsible-person address or material-contact statement is stopped at customs and rewritten at your cost. Here is what each major market requires on the pack itself.
The three markets at a glance
| Market | Framework | Must appear on pack |
|---|---|---|
| EU | EU 10/2011, CPR | INCI, RP address, PAO, symbols |
| United States | FDA 21 CFR, FPLA | Net weight, ingredient declaration, warnings |
| China | CSAR, GB standards | CN label, filer, batch code |
EU: 10/2011 and the label
EU Regulation 10/2011 sets the limits for substances that can migrate from plastic into the formula; we specify resins that pass it and keep the migration test on file. On the pack, the EU requires the INCI list, the responsible person’s address, the period-after-opening (PAO) symbol, and the green dot or local scheme where applicable.
United States: FDA 21 CFR and FPLA
The US has no INCI mandate but the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act requires an accurate net quantity, an ingredient declaration by common name, and any required warnings. Material that contacts the product should meet FDA 21 CFR thresholds for food-contact analogues where the state references them. State laws such as California Prop 65 can add warning duties.
China: CSAR and GB standards
- CSAR requires a domestic responsible person and a filed notification before import.
- Labels must carry a Chinese-language name, the filer and a batch code.
- GB standards define material safety and symbol use for the local market.
Symbols that keep a shipment moving
Beyond text, the recycling mark, the resin identification code, the PAO jar, the leaf for refill and the e-mark for net quantity are what customs and retailers check first. We lay out the artwork to the target market’s template and run a pre-shipment compliance check so a missing symbol does not stop the container.
A practical rule
Design the artwork for the strictest market you sell into, then localise the language and the responsible-person block per market. Send us your target markets and we will supply the compliance template and the material statement so the pack clears customs the first time.
Tell us the markets you ship to and we will return an artwork compliance checklist with the symbols and statements each one requires.