Labeling of toys and building materials has started: business is preparing for difficulties and costs
Labeling of children's toys concerns products for children under 14 years of age — dolls, cars, board and educational games, as well as scooters and other types of children's transport. From December 1, 2025, the sale of toys without a code will be prohibited, and labeling on warehouse leftovers will be allowed until September 2026. However, as long as the goods are not marked, their shipment and sale are impossible.
According to the estimates of the Association of Enterprises of the Children's Goods Industry, the level of illegal trafficking in this market is up to 32%, and the introduction of labeling should significantly reduce the share of counterfeit goods. Major market participants such as the Inventive Retail Group are already actively preparing for labeling: they are reconfiguring processes, training staff, and organizing work with marketplaces. However, small companies will have a hard time — some of them may close or sell the business to large chains.
Building materials are another category that has fallen under the new requirements. From October 1, labeling is mandatory for cement and dry mixes, from December 1 — for sealants, mounting foam, putty and mastics. Unlike toys, labeling does not apply to leftovers — all products must enter the market with codes.
Labeling in this segment also causes difficulties. Due to the packaging features (dust, weight, softness of the container), it is difficult to scan the codes. Experts urge to optimize the layout and use solutions with aggregated codes so as not to create additional load during acceptance.
Motor oils have also been added to the list of labeled products. Since September 1, the sale of unlabeled oils, brake fluids and antifreeze is prohibited. The companies prepared in advance: for example, the ZIC brand organized the application of codes in production in South Korea. More than 897 market participants have already been registered in the system.
The business also prepared the logistics infrastructure in advance. Customs warehouses have expanded their areas to cope with the growing volume of imports of labelled products. Companies choose different strategies, from labeling in factories to applying codes in temporary storage warehouses.
According to analysts, the effect of the whitewashing of the toy and building materials markets may amount to over 77 billion rubles per year due to increased tax revenues. However, this means an additional burden for businesses: equipment costs, logistics changes, and staff training.
Thus, the start of the autumn labeling stage has become another turning point for Russian retailers and manufacturers. How quickly companies can adapt to new requirements depends on their competitiveness and the ability to stay on the market in the face of increasing control and rising costs.
