Regulations on food labeling expiration dates

1. Production date and expiry date of goods are recorded in the order of the day, month, and year of the calendar year. In case of writing in a different order, there must be a caption for that order in Vietnamese.

• Each number indicating the day, month, and year is recorded in two digits, and the year indicator is allowed to be written in four digits. The number indicating the day, month, and year of a date must be on the same line.
• In case the production month is specified, it shall be recorded in the order of month and year of the calendar year.
• In cases where it is specified to write the year of manufacture, write four digits indicating the year of the calendar year.
• “Manufacturing date”, “expiry date” indicated on the label shall be fully or abbreviated in capital letters as: “M. DATE”, “EXP.DATE”

2. In case goods are required to have the date of manufacture and the expiry date specified in Appendix I of this Decree, but the label of the goods has the date of manufacture as prescribed in Clause 1 of this Article, the expiry date is allowed to be written on the label. is the period from the date of manufacture and vice versa, if the product label has an expiration date, the manufacturing date is allowed to be stated as the period before the expiry date.
3. For goods that are divided, transferred, loaded, repacked, the date of distribution, transfer, loading, repacking must be shown and the expiry date must be calculated from the date of manufacture shown on the original label.
4. The way to write the date of production and expiry date is specified in Section 1, Appendix III of this Decree.

1. Organizations and individuals that produce and/or import by themselves determine and record the origin of their goods, but must ensure truthfulness, accuracy, and compliance with the provisions of the law on the origin of goods or the Agreements. to which Vietnam has joined or signed.
2. The method of recording the origin of goods is prescribed as follows: Write the phrase "made in" or "made in", "country of manufacture", "origin" or "manufactured by" with the name of the country or territory produce that good.

1. A safe expiration date is required to write "Expiry date", or "Use to date" for functional foods, dietary supplements, health protection foods, medical nutritional foods, food products. Fortified with micronutrients and foods prone to microbial spoilage. The safe shelf life for other foods may be marked "Best Before Date" in accordance with the type of food product.
2. Food items marked "Expiry date" or "Use by date" are not allowed to be sold on the market after this time limit has passed.
3. For food labeled "Best before date", after this time, the food is still allowed to be sold on the market if the manufacturer proves that the food is safe to the competent state agency and must write the following information: Expiry date is clearly defined in either “Expiry date” or “Use by date” form. Only food manufacturers can extend the shelf life of their food products, and the shelf life can be extended up to only the first specified shelf life.

Food and Feed Testing Service