The requirements for mandatory labeling of meat products in Russia could come into effect on August 1, 2026. The Ministry of Industry and Trade has prepared a draft decree outlining the phased introduction of this procedure, as reported by Interfax.
At the first stage, labeling will apply to meat products, including offal and products made from meat fat. Two months later, on October 1, 2026, the requirements will extend to sausage products. Starting from the same date, participation in the "Honest Sign" system will become mandatory for producers from peasant-farmer households.
The department plans to transition to individual accounting of meat and meat products starting March 1, 2028. Additionally, there are plans to conduct a voluntary experiment to test the labeling of meat products before it becomes mandatory, though no specific timeline has been provided.
The document also includes exemptions for certain categories that will not require labeling. These include products obtained through packaging for sale by weight or packaging during retail trade, as well as goods already subject to labeling. For instance, this refers to canned products and items classified as canned infant formula for children under 12 months.
In the ministry's view, labeling of meat products will allow consumers to access information about the product and contribute to reducing the volume of illegal circulation of such goods. According to estimates from the Higher School of Economics, last year the share of illegal turnover in this category amounted to 18 percent.
Source: LENTA.RU
