Uzbekistan to Introduce New Food Labeling Requirements

On November 10, 2020, the Uzbek President signed a decree establishing that food product labels should include information on the safety or harm caused to consumers’ health by the salt, sugar and fat content. This requirement will apply to both imported and domestic products and it will be implemented in two stages.

During the first stage, starting on July 1, 2021, the sale of food products without such safety labels will be prohibited in educational, sports and medical institutions. Additionally, at this stage, products marked with such labels will be advertised or displayed at preferential rates. It is expected that a new version of the Law on Advertising reflecting this novelty will be considered by the Uzbek Parliament in December 2020.

During the second stage, starting on January 1, 2025, the new labeling requirement will be mandatory for all food products on the market.

Starting from March 2021, it is expected that the authorities will develop a general regulation on food product safety, as well as the guidelines on the safe amounts of salt, sugar and fat in food products based on the recommendations of the World Health Organization. New regulations on the marketing of food products with high salt, sugar and fat content are also expected in the second quarter of 2021.

By: Djakhangir Aripov

For more information, please contact Djakhangir Aripov at our Uzbekistan office.