Turkey has updated its regulatory regime for food labelling and nutrition information, to become in line with the European Union’s approach. The new regulations outline responsibilities, mandatory label information, as well as certain limits on nutrition claims.

Two pieces of regulation were published in Official Gazette number 29960 on 26 January 2017:

– The Turkish Food Codex Labelling and Informing Consumers Regulation.

– Turkish Food Codex Nourishment and Health Declaration Regulation.

Key points under the regulations include:

– Food managers who supply food to the market under his/her name are responsible for ensuring the items contain the mandatory information, whereas importers are responsible for such information with regard to imported products.

– With limited exceptions, the following information must be included:

– Food name.

– Ingredient list.

– Allergy or intolerance producing materials or products.

– Amounts of certain components and component groups.

– Net amount of the food.

– Recommended expire date or sell-by-date.

– Specific conservation and/or terms of use.

– Name or business name of the food manager and their address.

– Business registration ID or identification marks (for example, trademark).

– Country of origin.

– User manual for food when it is not possible to consume the food properly without such information.

– Alcoholic strength for beverages with more than 1.2% volumetric alcohol.

– Nutrition notice.

– A label containing the mandatory information must be appended or attached to the packaging in a way which ensures it does not separate from the package itself.

– Information should be:

– Clearly readable.

– Not be able to be deleted.

– In Turkish.

– Nutrition and health claims must not be:

– Vague, wrong, or deceptive.

– Done in a way which throws suspicion on the item’s nutritional value, credibility, or promotes overconsumption.

– Alcoholic beverages with more than 1.2% volumetric alcohol must not carry any health claims.

Please see these links for the full text of the relevant regulations (only available in Turkish):

– The Turkish Food Codex Labelling and Informing Consumer Regulation.

– Turkish Food Codex Nourishment and Health Declaration Regulation.

Information first published in the MA | Gazette, a fortnightly legal update newsletter produced by Moroğlu Arseven.