The organization of the market for fresh fruits and vegetables includes labelling the products in accordance with the product-specific requirements. Labelling enables buyers to obtain adequate and correct information about the quality and size of their purchases. The country of origin (i.e. cultivation) of fresh fruits and vegetables must always be indicated.
The requirements for labelling are a part of the European Commission's regulations on sales and quality requirements for shopkeeping. Fresh fruits and vegetables have product specific requirements for labelling.
Labelling requirements include the sales and distribution chain from packaging to retail sale. When products are sold as loose goods, the required information must be visible on a sales sign. The requirements do not apply when a producer sells their produce directly to the consumer, for example directly at the farm or by allowing berry picking on a farm.
Clear and correct labels
Mandatory labels must be made clearly and indelibly on the same side of the package to ensure their visibility from the outside. Packaging may contain additional information as long as it is not misleading.
Pre-packed items for retail sale are considered packaged products if the packaging contains more than one item. In these cases the packaging must be properly labeled. For single-packed items in plastic the labelling on the box are adequate.
Information always required on packaged produce:
- Country of origin, i.e. cultivation
The country of origin is compulsory information and it must be indicated in the packaging even when the country of origin is the same as the country of the packager. The country of origin can be identified by its name or adjective, e.g. Finland, Finnish.
Other information frequently required (always required for products with special requirements):
- Packager: name and address
- Quality class: Extra, Class I, or Class II
In addition, some vegetables have labelling requirements concerning variety and size of produce. Variety must be indicated for oranges, apples, pears, and grapes.
Consumer packages which are not weighed at the time of the purchase must include information about the contained amount, e.g. the net weight.
Information always required on loose produce:
- Country of origin, i.e. cultivation
- Quality class: Extra, Class I, or Class II (compulsory information for products with special requirements)
Variety must be indicated for oranges, apples, pears, and grapes.