Labeling of tea, coffee, sweets and sports drinks will start on September 1: businesses are preparing for rising costs
The labeling primarily affects instant and brewed beverages: coffee, tea, and cocoa. Starting from December 1 of this year, mandatory application of codes for cocoa powder will start, from April 2026 - for tea and its derivatives, and from June — for chicory and coffee in various forms (grain, ground, instant, etc.). In parallel, registration of participants in the turnover of sweets — marmalade, marshmallows, marshmallows, halva — has begun., chewing gum and other confectionery products. Mandatory labeling for these groups will be introduced in stages in 2026.
Labeling of sports nutrition is introduced in an accelerated manner. Starting from September 1, all manufacturers and sellers of these products must register in the system, and from October 1, the mandatory application of codes will begin. According to the National Association of the Sports Nutrition Industry, up to 50% of products on the market are gray imports without documents. Labeling will eliminate this problem and protect consumers from dangerous substances, including drugs listed as prohibited by WADA.
Manufacturers, however, are expressing concern. Representatives of large companies talk about significant investments in equipment, packaging changes and the need to hire additional staff. Some of them claim that the introduction of labeling will increase the cost by 10% already at the first stage, especially for small products where the cost of the code exceeds income tax. Such expenses can lead to higher prices on the shelves.
Despite this, participants in the pilot projects conducted from March to August 2025 note that technical integration is possible. The companies have successfully tested the application of codes on packages of various formats, from glass jars and cardboard boxes to flexible packages. According to the representatives of the CRPT, the packaging lines maintain productivity, and the quality of the codes remains high.
The business will have to solve not only technical, but also logistical tasks: to hold tenders, purchase equipment and retrain staff. Registration with Honest Sign is a prerequisite for continued employment. Otherwise, they will face fines and a ban on the sale of unmarked products.
The labeling system covers more and more product categories, and September 1 is another step towards total digital control. The government expects to reduce the share of illegal trafficking, increase tax revenues and strengthen confidence in products. Manufacturers rely on support, technology adaptation, and understanding from consumers, who increasingly have to pay for "honesty" out of their own pockets.
