Polski
Labels Under the Microscope: The Law Tightens Its Grip, the Industry Bets on Compost
This week in the world of labeling shows two sides of the same coin. On one hand, Polish lawmakers are tightening the net around companies that treat labels as a field for abuse and informational negligence. On the other, label material manufacturers are proving that labels can be part of the solution to the packaging waste problem rather than its source. We take a look at what both of these changes mean for the food, printing, and packaging industries – and why it's worth following them today, before they become everyday reality on the production line.
01 · Law and Labeling
The Label as Evidence: A New Definition of Adulterated Food [1]
On September 16, 2026, an amendment to Poland's Act on the Commercial Quality of Agricultural and Food Products came into force [1]. The most significant change concerns the very definition of adulterated food – it now also covers products that lack mandatory information, such as country of origin or manufacturer details. In other words, an empty or incomplete field on a label can now carry the same legal consequences for a company as deliberately misleading consumers about a product's composition or quality. This marks an important shift in philosophy – until now, the focus was mainly on whether the information on a label was truthful; now, whether it is complete at all matters just as much.
The amendment also expands the powers of the Agricultural and Food Quality Inspection (IJHARS). The agency has gained the right to inspect labeling not only on packaging itself, but also online, in advertisements, and on leaflets [1]. This is a significant change from the perspective of online trade – e-commerce platforms will be required to disclose their sellers' details, making it harder for anonymous parties, who until now could breach labeling regulations with little risk of detection, to operate [1].
For food manufacturers and the printing houses that produce their labels, the message is clear: the completeness of information on packaging is no longer just a matter of aesthetics or good marketing practice. It has become subject to real market oversight – and not only on the store shelf, but everywhere a product is described, including social media and product listings in online stores. It's worth reviewing your own materials for completeness now, before the inspectors do it for you.
02 · Ecology and Innovation
Compost Instead of Plastic: A Breakthrough in Fruit and Vegetable Labeling [2]
While Polish regulators are tightening control over label content, a British-Dutch consortium is working on what labels are actually made of. UK-based Futamura and Netherlands-based Bio4life have announced the joint development of a self-adhesive fruit and vegetable label certified for both industrial and home composting [2].
The solution combines two technologies: Futamura's NatureFlex cellulose film and BioTAK, a biodegradable adhesive developed by Bio4life [2]. The label is intended for products such as apples, citrus fruits, avocados, and kiwis – items on which traditional plastic stickers have long been a nuisance for both consumers and composting facilities, where the stickers end up mixed with peels and other organic waste, contaminating the entire waste stream [2].
It's a concrete, ready-to-implement response to the direction the EU's PPWR regulation is heading, as well as to growing consumer expectations that fresh produce packaging shouldn't leave a plastic footprint behind. For converters and label printers, it's a signal that compostable materials are moving beyond being a niche curiosity shown off at trade fair booths and becoming a real specification that food industry clients will start asking for. The Futamura–Bio4life partnership also shows that breakthroughs in this field emerge at the intersection of two specializations – a film manufacturer and an adhesive manufacturer – rather than in a single lab.
03
One Direction, Two Driving Forces
Tighter regulations and new materials share a single message: labels are now being taken seriously by both lawmakers and consumers alike. Companies that ignore this trend risk an IJHARS inspection on one hand, and the loss of trust from buyers seeking plastic-free packaging on the other. Legal compliance and sustainability are no longer separate projects – today they are two pillars of the same labeling strategy, and both need to be considered together right from the packaging design stage.
We'll be discussing how to meet both challenges at once at Labeling-Tech Poland 2026 – the International Labeling Technology Fair. We invite manufacturers, printing houses, and material suppliers to join the conversation on how a label can be legally compliant, environmentally friendly, and appealing to consumers, all at once.
Invitation
New regulations on adulterated food and breakthrough compostable fruit labels are just a preview of the topics awaiting you at Labeling-Tech Poland 2026. Meet material manufacturers, printing houses, and regulatory compliance experts all in one place. Find out how to prepare labels that are both legally compliant and environmentally friendly – before your competitors do.
Labeling-Tech Poland 2026Footnotes
[1] portalspozywczy.pl — https://www.portalspozywczy.pl/technologie/wiadomosci/nowa-definicja-zafalszowanej-zywnosci-przepisy-wchodza-16-wrzesnia,292986.html[2] Packaging Scotland — https://packagingscotland.com/2026/09/partnership-confirms-breakthrough-for-home-compostable-fruit-labelling/