Who is responsible for food labelling? An overview of global regulations

October 13, 2025 •

4 min read

Food labels are a direct and essential means of communicating information to consumers about the product's identity, contents, and nutritional value. So, who is responsible for food labelling? The responsibility is shared between governments, food manufacturers, and retailers, all working within a strict framework of laws and regulations.

Quick Summary

The responsibility for food labeling is a multi-layered system involving governmental regulatory bodies that set standards, food manufacturers and importers who ensure compliance, and retailers who handle in-store information. This collaboration protects public health and prevents misleading practices.

Key Points

Governments set the legal framework: National and regional agencies, such as the FDA and the European Commission, establish mandatory standards and regulations for food labelling to protect consumers.
Manufacturers are primarily responsible for accuracy: Food producers and importers are legally obligated to ensure all label information, from ingredients to nutritional content, is truthful and compliant.
Retailers handle in-store information: For pre-packed foods, retailers must maintain label integrity, while for loose or pre-packed-for-direct-sale (PPDS) foods, they must provide accurate allergen and product information.
Allergen information is mandatory: Laws require clear and prominent allergen declarations to prevent severe allergic reactions and ensure consumer safety.
A global standard exists but varies locally: The Codex Alimentarius Commission sets international guidelines, but national regulations and enforcement mechanisms differ globally, requiring businesses to adapt for different markets.
Misleading labels carry consequences: Violations of labelling rules can result in fines, product recalls, and severe damage to a company's reputation and consumer trust.

A Shared Responsibility: The Three-Tiered System of Food Labelling

Ensuring the accuracy and truthfulness of food labels is a complex, three-tiered system involving regulators, producers, and sellers. Government agencies create the legal framework, manufacturers and importers comply with and apply the labels, and retailers ensure this information is maintained for consumers, especially for non-prepacked items. This hierarchy prevents misleading information, protects consumer health, and fosters market transparency.

The Role of Government and Regulatory Bodies

Regulatory agencies are the architects of the food labelling system, establishing and enforcing standards to safeguard public health and prevent deceptive practices. These bodies ensure that information is truthful and not misleading. Different countries and regions have their own governing agencies, which can sometimes lead to different rules for international trade.

Key government responsibilities include:

Setting standards: Defining what mandatory information must be included on a label, such as ingredients, allergens, and nutritional details.
Enforcement and audits: Conducting inspections and investigations to verify compliance and addressing consumer complaints.
Approving claims: Regulating specific claims like “low fat” or “high fiber,” ensuring they are backed by scientific evidence.
Coordinating recalls: Mandating and overseeing food recalls for products found to be unsafe or mislabelled.

Major regulatory bodies around the world:

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Oversees labelling for most packaged foods in the United States, including nutrition facts and allergen declarations.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA): Regulates the labelling of meat, poultry, and processed egg products.
Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in the UK: The FSA oversees safety-related labelling (including allergens), while DEFRA handles non-safety labelling and composition in England.
European Commission (EC): Sets EU-wide food information regulations, such as Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, which all member states must follow.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ): Develops the Food Standards Code for Australia and New Zealand, which sets requirements for everything from ingredients to allergens.

The Manufacturer's and Importer's Role

As the direct creators and marketers of products, manufacturers and importers bear the primary responsibility for ensuring the accuracy and completeness of their food labels. Their obligations are multifaceted and governed by the regulations of the countries where their products are sold.

Primary obligations of manufacturers/importers:

Labeling Accuracy: Ensuring all information, including nutrient values, ingredient lists, and expiration dates, is truthful and not misleading.
Allergen Declaration: Highlighting major allergens clearly and conspicuously on the label to protect sensitive consumers. The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) in the U.S. is one such example.
Lot and Batch Numbers: Including these identifiers to aid in product tracing during a recall.
Addressing Customer Feedback: Providing contact information for consumer inquiries or complaints.

The Retailer's Responsibility

While manufacturers produce the labels, retailers also have a critical role to play. They are responsible for ensuring that the products they sell are correctly presented and that any food prepared in-store is accurately labelled. This is particularly important for non-prepacked or 'prepacked for direct sale' (PPDS) items.

Key retailer responsibilities:

Maintaining Labels: Ensuring pre-packed food labels are not damaged, obscured, or tampered with.
Point of Sale Information: Providing mandatory information, particularly allergen declarations, for non-prepacked foods sold loose or prepared on-site.
Product Rotation: Adhering to 'use by' dates for perishable items to prevent the sale of unsafe food.

A Comparative Look at Labelling Responsibilities


Responsibility	Government Regulatory Body	Manufacturer/Importer	Retailer	Consumer
Sets legal standards	Yes (e.g., FDA, FSANZ)	No	No	No
Provides accurate information	Oversees & enforces	Yes (Primary responsibility)	Verifies for own products	Verifies & reports issues
Allergen disclosure	Mandates requirements	Yes (Mandatory)	Yes (For loose/PPDS food)	Uses for safety
Coordinates recalls	Yes (Initiates & manages)	Yes (Cooperates & funds)	Facilitates & removes stock	Reports issues
Responds to consumer inquiries	Investigates serious issues	Yes (Via contact details)	Yes (In-store inquiries)	Provides feedback

Conclusion: Fostering Trust and Health Through Clear Labelling

In conclusion, no single entity is solely responsible for food labelling. It is a collaborative process where government bodies establish the rules to protect public health and prevent fraud. Food manufacturers and importers are legally and ethically responsible for creating accurate labels that comply with these rules. Retailers act as the final checkpoint, presenting products honestly and providing necessary information, especially for non-prepackaged goods. Ultimately, a well-functioning labelling system relies on the integrity of the food chain and the vigilance of consumers to report discrepancies. This shared accountability ensures that consumers can make informed and safe decisions about the food they purchase and consume, fostering trust throughout the entire food supply chain.

For more detailed guidance on specific regulations, you can consult the official website of the regulatory body governing your region, such as the FDA Food Labeling Guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

The primary purpose of food labelling is to protect consumer health and prevent fraud by providing clear, trustworthy information about a product's identity, contents, and how it should be handled.

In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates most packaged foods, while the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) oversees meat, poultry, and certain egg products.

Yes, manufacturers are required to list all ingredients in descending order by weight, with the ingredient present in the largest amount listed first.

Many regulations, such as the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) in the U.S. and EU Regulation 1169/2011, require that major food allergens are clearly highlighted, often in bold or with a different font, within the ingredients list.

A 'use by' date applies to highly perishable products and indicates that a food may no longer be safe to eat after that date. A 'best before' date relates to product quality; the food may lose some flavour or texture after this date but is generally still safe to consume.

Companies with misleading labels can face severe penalties, including heavy fines, forced product recalls, and legal action. This can also lead to a significant loss of consumer trust and brand reputation.

Consumers can play a vital role by using labels to make informed decisions and by reporting any inaccuracies, misleading claims, or safety concerns they find on products to the relevant regulatory authorities.