Shanghai alcohol warning label trials in full swing across online and offline sales
Alcohol warning label trials move into full implementation in China’s most populous city Shanghai, with strict requirements for retailers across online and offline sales channels.
“The guidelines for these alcohol warning labels are in line with the Shanghai National Nutrition Plan and Healthy Shanghai Action Plan, both running from 2019-2030,” the commission said via formal documentation.
“This will cover all alcoholic beverages with alcohol content above 0.5% by volume, and all sellers must strictly follow these guidelines when setting up the warning labels.”
Vietnam’s food safety overhaul moves forward after months of delay
After a disastrous attempt to implement new food safety regulations in January, Vietnam has taken next steps forward — but looks unlikely to make the original April deadline
The Vietnamese government initially announced it would be enforcing new food safety regulations in January 26 this year. Locally dubbed ‘Decree 46’, it focuses on the detailed procedures to implement new changes to the local Law on Food Safety, and aimed to put stricter inspections and tighter food safety into place.
This however ended in nothing short of chaos, with local media reporting mammoth delays and trade disruptions that saw thousands of containers being stuck at ports or stranded across Vietnam.
K Food exports set to take major hit after losing Middle East growth
South Korea’s K Food export growth momentum face a sharp slowdown as the Middle East — its key growth engine — weakens from the US-Iran conflict.
While almost all global markets are set to be impacted by Iran’s current control and effective blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, South Korea in particular looks to have tough year ahead given its reliance on the Middle East for food export growth previously.
“K-Food exports had grown 4% year-on-year in Q12026 to reach US$2.56bn, with the region showing the largest export growth being the Middle East GCC countries that contributed 32.3% of growth overall,” MAFRA foreign press spokesperson Seung-ho Choi said via a formal statement.
China regulates plant-based colours: What brands must know
Here’s how China’s new industry standard on food colouring can benefit consumers and influence the APAC food and beverage industry
A new industry standard, jointly developed by the China National Food Industry Association (CNFIA) and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), mandates that food colourings be made from fruits, vegetables, plants, or algae normally consumed as food.
As a result, these colourings are now classified as ingredients rather than additives, enabling brands to label them more transparently – for example, as “carrot colouring ingredient.”
Iran at war: What food and beverage needs to know
Israel and US attacks on Iran have long-lasting implications for global food and drink industries.
We are following developments closely in this rolling coverage of what the Iran war means for the food and beverage industry in this story.