On 14 March, the State Administration for Market Regulation released Administrative Provisions on Food Labelling. These provisions will enter into force on 16 March 2027 and cover the labelling and marking of food and food additives produced and marketed within the country, as well as their supervision and management. Food labels shall not carry marks relating to disease prevention or therapeutic functions or make descriptions that are deceptive, misleading, exaggerated or otherwise false. They shall not go against scientific common sense, violate public order and good morals, promote feudal superstitions, or claim to be for “special supply”, “exclusive supply” or “internal supply” to party or government organs or military units. In addition, the administrative provisions list general labelling rules for prepackaged food, labelling rules for special foods and labelling requirements for food marketing. These include specifications for label text formats and the display of information on the date of manufacture, the best before date, and the name and address of the manufacturer, as well as stipulations concerning online food trading and special food marketing.

Administrative Provisions for Supervising Food Production and Business Operation Enterprises in their Implementation of Primary Responsibility for Food Safety, recently released by the State Administration for Market Regulation, entered into force on 15 April. The new rules optimise the food safety system and fine-tune supervisory requirements. Specific measures include solidifying the Risk Management and Control Checklist for Food Safety into an institutional document, and allowing food enterprises to organically combine the implementation of “daily management and control, weekly inspection and monthly rescheduling” with their established working systems and mechanisms. The provisions require the post of food safety director to be filled by a management-level member of staff and outline specifications for random inspections and evaluations. Meanwhile, 50 national food safety standards and nine amendment sheets were recently published by the National Health Commission and the State Administration for Market Regulation in relation to items including dietary supplements for infants and toddlers, food nutrition enhancers and food microbiological tests.

President Trump has issued an executive order aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of the U.S. seafood sector by addressing unfair trade practices, eliminating unsafe imports, levelling the “unfair playing field that has benefited foreign fishing companies”, promoting ethical sourcing, reducing regulatory burdens and ensuring the integrity of the seafood supply chain.

Yindii has launched a platform rescuing unsold food in Hong Kong in 2023. By connecting F&B outlets with consumers through discounted surplus sales, Yindii cuts waste, costs, and emissions. HKTDC Research interviewed Yindii’s Country Manager, Agnes Lee, to explore how this model reduces food waste at its source and promotes sustainability in a high-density market like Hong Kong.

In an announcement made on 5 March 2025, the Polish competition authority imposed significant fines, totalling PLN 66 million (approximately EUR 16 million) on Jura Poland, a coffee machine manufacturer, along with several distributors, namely, Euro-net (RTV Euro AGD), Media Saturn Holding (MediaMarkt), Media Saturn Online, and Terg (Media Expert). This action was taken due to their reported involvement in price collusion practices that violated competition laws.

The Oman Tax Authority (OTA) has announced it will ban imported soft drinks, energy drinks and other excise goods from 1 June 2025, unless these products carry a digital tax stamp (DTS), according to local sources on 28 February 2025. The distribution of any such products within the Sultanate without digital stamps will be prohibited from 1 August 2025. Sweetened drinks, however, will remain exempt from the DTS scheme until further notice, but alcoholic beverages have now been added to the scheme.

Hong Kong’s total exports of processed food and beverages reached HK$46.5 billion in 2024, with re-exports accounting for more than 84% in value terms. Mainland China and Macao were the top two largest markets for Hong Kong’s processed food and beverage exports, accounting for 49% and 29% of the total exports respectively last year.

Thailand has reached a new agreement with China on inspection and sanitary standards for farmed aquatic products, opening the door for large-scale seafood export. Signed in February 2025, the deal introduces trade regulations to support exports of Thai aquaculture products. It outlines sanitary and quarantine standards for farmed aquatic products, simplifying the approval process for future seafood exports and facilitating trade.

The increasingly health-conscious Gulf states represent a potential bonanza for international food exporters.

China will impose additional tariffs on some agricultural products imported from the US starting from 10 March 2025, the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council announced on 4 March. An additional 15% tariff will be imposed on chicken, wheat, corn and cotton, while sorghum, soybeans, pork, beef, aquatic products, fruit, vegetables and dairy products will be subject to an additional 10% tariff. For these products, corresponding tariffs will be added to the current tariff rates. There will be no changes to current bonded policies, or to tax reduction and exemption policies, and the latest tariffs to be imposed will not be reduced or exempted. Goods already in transit before 10 March and imported into China between 10 March and 12 April will not be affected by the current tariff increases. A detailed list of the agricultural products affected is available on the Ministry of Finance website at https://gss.mof.gov.cn/gzdt/zhengcefabu/202503/t20250304_3959228.htm.