Flexible Packaging Compliance Watch: China Proposes Tighter Overpackaging Rules, Tea Void Ratio Capped at 25%

China's Standardization Administration has released a draft for public comment of the General Rules for Restricting Excessive Packaging of Commodities. The proposal would cap packaging for cosmetics, health products, alcohol and similar goods at three layers; limit tea packaging void space to no more than one-quarter of the volume; and keep packaging costs within 15% of a product's ex-factory price.

Packaging cost ceiling: 15% of ex-factory price

Yang Yuexiang, a person in charge at the China National Institute of Standardization, said the General Rules cover all domestic commodities and do not apply to export goods. According to the draft, packaging costs for all domestic goods must not exceed 15% of the ex-factory price. Yang explained that packaging costs and their accounting are based on contracts between the manufacturer and its packaging supplier and seller; in the absence of a contract, the market average price is used.

No unnecessary add-on functions for packaging

The General Rules propose that commodity packaging must not carry unnecessary extra functions. While meeting basic packaging functions, packaging should be simplified. Cumbersome forms or complicated structures are not recommended, and unnecessary additional functions must not be imposed.

Where sales packaging contains additional items, such as bottle openers and product instructions, their volume will also be counted in the method for calculating packaging void space. This provision is expected to effectively curb merchants' practice of bundling other goods to force consumers into purchases.

Limits placed on interior packaging space

The General Rules also propose mandatory requirements for packaging layers and void ratio. Packaging for health products, cosmetics, some foods, pastries (excluding mooncakes) and tea must not exceed three layers, while grain packaging must not exceed two layers. Void ratio is the empty portion inside the packaging, apart from the commodity, as a proportion of the whole packaging volume. Health products must stay below 30%; cosmetics, beverages and alcohol, and pastries below 55%; tea below 25%; and grain below 10%.

Source: China Packaging Network (pack.cn), original link: http://news.pack.cn/show-362212.html