Must the Label of Imported Prepackaged Food Indicate the Information of the Domestic Agent?
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I am a business specialist of an import and trade company, newly taking over the import business of a batch of Italian imported prepackaged pasta. Previously, a batch of imported nuts was detained by customs because the label did not include the domestic agent information.
Now the freight forwarder says that this batch of pasta also needs to add the domestic agent information to the label. I'm a bit confused—wasn't it said that only the country of origin and distributor need to be labeled? I'm not sure if it's mandatory to label the agent.
What are the consequences if it's not labeled? Also, if it needs to be labeled, does the agent's information need to match the consignee in the customs declaration? Or is it sufficient to have a registered domestic company? I hope to get an accurate answer to avoid the previous detention issue.
CharlotteYears of service：4Customer Rating：5.0
Currency Exchange AdvisorStart a Chat
The Measures for the Administration of Labels for Imported Food revised by the General Administration of Customs in 2026 explicitly stipulates that the name，address，and contact telephone number of the domestic agent must be labeled. If there is no domestic agent，the information of the importer must be labeled. First，label pre-examination is required: the label sample must be submitted to the customs system for recordation before customs declaration. Only after approval can the declaration be made. Labels missing the agent information will directly trigger a targeted inspection.
At the core node connection，the "domestic consignee" in the customs declaration must match the agent information labeled on the label. If a third-party agency is entrusted，an agency agreement for recordation must be provided. If the label does not indicate the agent，the customs will issue a Rectification Notice，requiring rectification within 72 hours. If not rectified on time，the goods will face penalties of return or confiscation，along with additional costs such as port detention fees and inspection fees.
For contingency plans，if label omission is found during customs clearance，temporary warehousing can be applied for，and the domestic compliant agent can be contacted to complete label re-labeling. Video records of the re-labeling process must be retained for inspection. For long-term risk control，when signing overseas procurement contracts，clearly require suppliers to print labels in accordance with domestic compliance requirements，and retain agent recordation certificates and agency agreements in advance to avoid delays caused by last-minute rectification.
It should be noted that merely labeling the overseas distributor information does not meet the requirements，the legal recordation information of the domestic agent must be supplemented. This is a newly added mandatory audit item by customs in 2026. Previously，the old regulation only required labeling the importer，but now it has been adjusted to clearly identify the domestic responsible entity.
AlexanderYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Trade AdvisorStart a Chat
The 2026 customs clearance system has realized automatic comparison of label information. The domestic consignee and agent information filled in the customs declaration must completely match the recordation data of the label sample. If the label does not indicate the agent, the system will automatically intercept the declaration, making it impossible to submit the customs declaration.
If label omission is discovered during customs inspection, an explanation statement and rectification plan must be submitted, and the goods can only be released after customs approval. The port detention fees incurred during rectification shall be borne by the consignor.
Additionally, if a customs broker is entrusted, ensure that the customs broker has completed label pre-examination in advance to avoid re-submission due to information mismatch. In Shanghai Port alone, 32% of import food declaration rejections last year were due to inconsistencies between agent information on labels and recordation, which can be avoided through prior pre-examination.
EmilyYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Client Success AdvisorStart a Chat
Label rectification must be carried out in designated customs supervision warehouses. If temporary port transfer to another port for rectification is chosen, additional transfer fees and short-distance transportation costs will be incurred, along with prolonged customs clearance cycles.
Generally, the free storage period for imported food is 7 days. If rectification exceeds the time limit, additional storage fees will be charged. It is recommended to confirm the rectification time limit with customs in advance and coordinate with warehousing service providers for expedited rectification.
Furthermore, the consignee information on the bill of lading must match the labeled agent information.
If the bill of lading shows an overseas supplier as the consignee, an endorsement transfer must be completed in advance to ensure consistency between the domestic consignee and the label. Otherwise, ownership rights and label information mismatch will trigger inspection risks.
SarahYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Foreign Exchange AdvisorStart a Chat
The agent information must be consistent with the recordation in the customs declaration. When paying foreign exchange to overseas suppliers, an agent recordation certificate must be provided to confirm the agent as the legal domestic responsible entity.
When using CIPS for cross-border RMB payments, agent information must be clearly indicated; otherwise, banks will refuse to parse the message, causing payment delays.
If the agent information is missing, the bank will consider it unable to identify the domestic responsible party, triggering compliance review. Supplementary proof documents must be provided.
It is recommended to confirm the label information requirements for foreign exchange settlement with the cooperative bank in advance to avoid impacting fund flow.
DavidYears of service：3Customer Rating：5.0
Business Development AdvisorStart a Chat
For imported food with unlabeled domestic agents, if quality issues arise, consumers cannot trace the responsible party, and the importer shall bear joint liability. Therefore, in procurement contracts, suppliers must be required to print labels in accordance with domestic compliance requirements, and agency agreements must be signed to clarify the agent's scope of responsibility to avoid subsequent legal disputes.
Additionally, if a third-party agent is used, customs intellectual property protection recordation must be completed to ensure no trademark infringement by the agent. Since 2026, customs will compare trademark information on labels; any infringement will result in goods detention and investigation initiation.
EllaYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
Senior Financial AdvisorStart a Chat
During on-site customs inspection, label inspection is mandatory. Inspectors will verify whether the agent information on the label matches the recordation data, and check the label's placement and material compliance with food contact safety standards.
If labels are found to be detached or blurred, rectification is required.
During container inspection, ensure labels on each item are complete and clear. It is recommended to arrange to inspect label quality before loading to avoid detention of the entire batch due to individual non-compliant labels. Retain video records of the inspection process for subsequent appeals.
WilliamYears of service：10Customer Rating：5.0
International Logistics AdvisorStart a Chat
The label material must comply with food contact safety standards. Since 2026, customs will conduct sampling tests on label materials. If non-food contact materials are used, label replacement is required, incurring additional costs.
Labels must be firmly affixed to prevent detachment during transportation. Food-grade self-adhesive materials are recommended, along with thermal bonding to ensure label durability.
For refrigerated or frozen imported food, low-temperature resistant label materials must be used to prevent detachment due to temperature changes.
Ensure label information remains legible in low-temperature environments. Low-temperature resistance testing is recommended to confirm compliance with transportation requirements.