The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has decided to maintain the simplified requirements for the labeling of food products and feed until April 1, 2027. This was announced at a briefing for journalists by the Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Taras Vysotsky, who clarified that the corresponding decision was adopted at the government meeting on September 23, 2026. According to him, until the specified date, manufacturers and suppliers are not required to indicate on the packaging information in the Ukrainian language, data on nutritional value, allergen content, and the product recipe.
History of the simplification: how it all began
The simplified labeling procedure was introduced in early March 2022, when the Cabinet of Ministers made amendments to government decrees regulating the requirements for the labeling of food products and feed. Against the backdrop of unprecedented challenges for logistics and trade in the country, a decision was made to lift mandatory requirements in order to ensure the uninterrupted supply of imported food. In particular, the presence of information on the packaging in the Ukrainian language, the ban on the use of imported packaging, and the indication of information on allergens, nutritional value, and recipe data ceased to be mandatory. Initially, these measures were considered a temporary step to stabilize the market; however, given the ongoing hostilities and the destruction of infrastructure, they have been extended on multiple occasions.
Reasons for the extension: destroyed infrastructure and the impossibility of relabeling
The decision to extend the simplified requirements was made following consultations with food producers and suppliers. Market participants pointed to a key problem: due to the destruction of warehouse facilities as a result of enemy strikes, it is not possible to quickly relabel the products. Many labels and packaging materials were destroyed, and restoring production capacities and logistics chains requires significant time and resources. Under these conditions, a return to full labeling requirements by October 1, 2026, as previously planned, would have been impossible without the risk of disrupting food supplies to the domestic market.
Chronology: from the cancellation of simplifications to a new extension
In late July 2026, Deputy Minister of Economy Denys Bashlyk stated that the government had canceled the previously applicable simplifications and that the labeling requirements were to return on October 1, 2026. However, already on September 23, just weeks before the scheduled date, the Cabinet of Ministers reversed this decision and extended the simplified procedure until April 1, 2027. As a result, consumers and market participants have gained additional time — about six months beyond the initially announced deadline — to adapt to the full labeling requirements.
Contradictory data
The statements of officials contain a certain inconsistency in chronology and wording. In late July 2026, Deputy Minister of Economy Denys Bashlyk publicly announced the “cancellation” of the simplifications and set the date for the return of the requirements — October 1, 2026. Meanwhile, already on September 23 of the same year, the government effectively reversed its own July decision, extending the simplified regime until April 1, 2027. Formally, this is not a contradiction in facts but a change of position by the executive branch within two months; however, for market participants this creates legal uncertainty: it is unclear whether the full labeling requirements were in force during the period from October 1 to September 23, 2026, or whether they never entered into force at all. In his statement, Minister Vysotsky used the wording “postponement of the return of the requirement,” which indirectly confirms that full mandatory labeling was not introduced by October 1.
What this means for consumers and businesses
Until April 1, 2027, store shelves may continue to carry products with imported packaging, without a translation of the information into Ukrainian, and without the mandatory allergen and nutritional value markings. For consumers, this means that when purchasing imported goods, they should carefully read the original labeling or ask the seller for clarification. For producers and importers, the extension provides additional time to update production lines, purchase new labels, and review logistics chains. After April 1, 2027, in the absence of a new extension, the full requirements will take effect: the Ukrainian language on the packaging, the indication of nutritional value, allergens, and the recipe.
