Digital labeling of soft drinks

• State Information System for Marking Goods

2024: Digital labeling of juices in Russia has become mandatory

On June 1, 2024, digital labeling of juices, nectars, fruit drinks and drinks on plant raw materials became mandatory in Russia. This measure will improve the quality of products on the market, as well as help in the fight against counterfeit goods.

The Center for the Development of Advanced Technologies (CRPT), which is the operator of the Fair Sign marking system, reports that the identification of soft drinks is carried out in several stages. In particular, from December 1, 2023, marking codes are applied to products in glass containers and polymer packaging, and from March 1, 2024 - to drinks in a can, including aluminum. From June 1, 2024, labeling is extended to juices, nectars, plant milk, compotes, as well as other soft drinks in all types of packaging.

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Revaz Yusupov, Deputy Director General of the CRPT, notes that the introduction of labeling will allow the market to be cleaned of counterfeit and counterfeit products as quickly as possible, which, in turn, will protect citizens from unsafe products. The state marking of these goods will give additional opportunities in terms of management. Manufacturers will be able to increase revenue and profit due to an increase in sales after illegal players leave the market.

Labeling has become mandatory for all types of soft drinks in all types of packaging, including kegs, - said Yulia Kuzmina, head of the excise-free food products department of the CRPT.

By June 1, 2024, 121,588 participants in the turnover of non-alcoholic drinks, including 2,050 producers and 1,582 importers, registered in the Honest Sign system. The next stage of labeling juices, nectars, fruit drinks and drinks on plant raw materials is scheduled for February 5, 2025: from this date, cash desks will automatically begin to block sales of expired and illegal products.^[1]

2023: Digital labeling of sugar-sweetened beverages launched in Russia

On June 1, 2023, an experiment on digital labeling of certain types of soft drinks, including juices, was launched in Russia. The pilot project will last until the end of August 2023.

The experiment covers waters (including mineral and carbonated) containing additives of sugar or other sweetening or flavoring substances, beverages based on soy, nuts, cereals or seeds, soluble beverages containing additives of sugar or other sweetening or flavoring substances, kvass, juices, compotes and fruit drinks.

Experiment on digital labeling of certain types of soft drinks started

As noted in the Ministry of Industry and Trade, which oversees the labeling, a significant part of future participants in the experiment are already participants in the turnover of packaged water and brewing products subject to labeling.

Participation is voluntary, free. The equipment for testing the relevant processes is provided by the operator at no cost.

In total, more than 10 companies announced their readiness to take part in the experiment, the Center for the Development of Advanced Technologies (CRPT, operator of the Honest Sign digital marking system) told TASS. As noted by the deputy general director of the CRPT Revaz Yusupov at the end of May 2023, everything is ready for the pilot project: technologies have already been worked out in other product groups - water, milk, beer. Difficulties with its implementation are not expected, the market has enough necessary equipment and consumables.

Many manufacturers have already introduced labeling of other types of goods that they produce, and already know how to work with "Honest Sign," understand the processes associated with labeling. According to our data, there are more than 60% of the total. At the same time, under the conditions of the introduction of excise tax on sugary drinks, it is labeling that can become an effective mechanism for its administration and create equal competitive conditions for legal producers, he stressed.[2]

From July 1, 2023, in accordance with the amendment of Article 181 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation, sugar-containing drinks become excisable goods. Excisable goods include packaged beverages in consumer packaging made using drinking or mineral water, containing sugar (glucose, fructose, sucrose, dextrose, maltose, lactose), and/or syrup with sugar, and/or honey, as well as containing an amount of carbohydrates in nutritional value exceeding 5 grams per 100 ml of drink. The volume share of ethyl alcohol in such drinks should not exceed 1.2 percent. Beverages produced and packaged by organizations and individual entrepreneurs providing services in the field of catering do not belong to excisable goods.

The list of sugar-free beverages includes the following products:

1) specialized food products registered as specialized food products in accordance with the legislation of the Eurasian Economic Union, fortified food products, with the exception of tonic drinks and beverages containing carbon dioxide as a component;

2) alcoholic products specified in subparagraph 3 of paragraph 1 of this article, grape, beer, fruit, honey and other fermentation, fruit materials, kvass with an ethanol content of up to 1.2 percent inclusive;

3) juices, juice-containing beverages, nectars, fruit drinks, syrups, milk, dairy products, jelly and/or beverages based on vegetable products produced from grains of cereals, legumes, oilseeds, nuts, coconuts and/or products of their processing, with the exception of tonic drinks and beverages containing carbon dioxide as a component.

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