Export Labelling &
Compliance Guide
Market-specific labelling requirements for Mauritian food exporters. Select a target market below. Where requirements differ, a Passage standardisation recommendation is provided — one label architecture that works across all four markets simultaneously.
Language
All mandatory informationAll mandatory label information appears in English and French.
Canada's bilingual requirement is the strictest. Building to that standard satisfies all four markets with one label. A producer who labels in English and French is compliant everywhere Passage operates.
Allergen Declaration
Mandatory identification and summaryAll allergens are emphasised within the ingredient list (bold or contrasting colour) and declared in a separate bilingual summary statement:
Contains / Contient: [allergens in English and French]
The full Passage allergen list — declared on every applicable product:
Australia requires a "Contains" summary statement. The UK and France require allergen emphasis in the ingredient list. The Passage standard does both — meeting Australia's summary requirement while exceeding UK and French emphasis requirements. Canada's bilingual requirement is satisfied by the dual-language "Contains / Contient" format.
Celery and lupin are mandatory declarations in the UK and France but are not on Australia's or Canada's allergen list. Passage includes them on the unified label because it costs nothing to declare and protects consumers in UK and French markets. If a product contains either ingredient, it must be declared regardless of destination market.
Nutrition Panel
Dual-panel architectureA dual-panel architecture is required. Panel A covers Australia, UK and France. Panel B covers Canada. Both panels appear on every product entering more than one corridor.
Nutrition Information
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
🇫🇷 France
| Nutrient | Per 100g | Per serve |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 000 kJ 000 kcal | 000 kJ 000 kcal |
| Fat / Lipides | 0.0g | 0.0g |
| of which saturates / dont acides gras saturés | 0.0g | 0.0g |
| Carbohydrate / Glucides | 0.0g | 0.0g |
| of which sugars / dont sucres | 0.0g | 0.0g |
| Protein / Protéines | 0.0g | 0.0g |
| Sodium / Sodium | 000mg | 000mg |
| Salt / Sel | 0.00g | 0.00g |
Serving size declared by producer. Per 100g column mandatory. Energy expressed in kJ (and kcal). Sodium row satisfies Australia. Salt row satisfies UK and France.
Nutrition Facts / Valeur nutritive
| Nutrient / Valeur | Per serving / Par portion | % DV |
|---|---|---|
| Calories / Calories | 000 | — |
| Fat / Lipides | 0.0g | 0% |
| Saturated / Saturés + Trans | 0.0g | 0% |
| Carbohydrate / Glucides | 0.0g | 0% |
| Fibre / Fibres | 0.0g | 0% |
| Sugars / Sucres | 0.0g | 0% |
| Protein / Protéines | 0.0g | — |
| Sodium / Sodium | 000mg | 0% |
Canada uses a distinct prescribed format. Values are per serving. Bilingual mandatory. % Daily Value required. Sodium expressed in mg — same value as Panel A Sodium row.
Australia, the UK, and France express sodium/salt differently — Australia as Sodium in mg, UK and France as Salt in g — but share enough structural similarity to be harmonised into Panel A with both rows present. Canada's Nutrition Facts table is a prescribed format that is structurally distinct: per-serving basis only, % Daily Value mandatory, specific bilingual field names. It cannot be collapsed into Panel A without losing compliance. The dual-panel layout solves this cleanly.
Date Marking
Shelf life and date formatAll products use: Best before / Meilleur avant [DD Month YYYY]
"Expiry date" must not be used. It is not recognised in Australia, the UK, or France, and is restricted to specific regulated categories in Canada. Use "Use by / Utiliser avant" only where legally required for specific high-risk products (e.g. fresh chilled meat, certain dairy). If in doubt, use Best before.
Country of Origin
Mandatory and factually preciseAll products clearly state the true country of origin:
"Product of Mauritius" applies only where substantially all ingredients originate in Mauritius and the product is produced there. If a product is only packed or processed in Mauritius but uses predominantly imported ingredients, "Product of Mauritius" must not be used. Use the actual country of origin of the primary ingredients, and "Packed in Mauritius" where relevant. Misleading origin claims are an enforcement risk in all four markets, particularly Australia where the ACCC actively prosecutes origin misrepresentation.
Australia requires "Product of Mauritius" — not "Made in Mauritius". The precise wording matters. The country of origin statement must appear in a clearly defined box or prominent position on the label. This is enforced under the Australian Consumer Law.
Importer Details
Destination-market entityAll products include:
Imported by / Importé par [Company Name, Full Address]
The address must reflect the destination-market importing entity — not the Mauritian exporter.
Passage coordinates the importer details for each corridor. The importing entity's name and address is confirmed during product onboarding and applied to the label specification before packaging is finalised. This is not left to the producer to determine independently.
Barcode Registration
GS1 — one registration, every marketAll products register through GS1 Mauritius (MCCI) and obtain a unique GTIN per SKU. The resulting EAN-13 barcode is valid across all four markets.
Barcode print quality must meet GS1 standards — minimum bar width, quiet zones, and correct X-dimension. A poorly printed barcode will fail scanning at retail and can result in ranging rejection. Passage reviews barcode specifications as part of the supplier verification process.
Mandatory Core Elements
Required on every productEvery product must carry all of the following — regardless of destination market. These are not optional additions. They are the minimum for a label to be considered export-ready.
✗ Dal Puri
✓ Flatbread filled with split peas (Dal Puri)
Metric is mandatory in all four markets
Claims
Prove it or don't make itAny claim on packaging must be true, substantiated, and permitted under target market regulations. Passage does not verify claims. If in doubt — do not include the claim.
The following claims carry regulatory risk in one or more markets and must not appear on a label unless the producer can provide documented substantiation: Natural · Healthy · High protein · Low sugar · Gluten-free · Organic · No added sugar · Low fat · Low sodium / Low salt.
Each market defines these claims differently. A product that qualifies as "low salt" in Australia may not meet the threshold for the same claim in the UK or Canada. Passage recommends avoiding claims entirely in the first export cycle and adding them after laboratory verification and regulatory review.
What this standard delivers
For producers and importersThis standard is reviewed and updated as regulations change across active corridors. Last reviewed: April 2026. For country-specific regulatory detail, consult the country tabs above. To begin the export readiness process, complete the ERSA → · Questions: info@passageexport.com
Passage has developed a unified labelling standard that meets requirements across Australia, the United Kingdom, France and Canada simultaneously — one label, four markets. Consult the Passage Standard →
Under FSANZ Standard 1.2.3 — Plain English Allergen Labelling (PEAL), effective 25 February 2024. All allergens below must appear in bold in the ingredient list AND in a mandatory separate "Contains" summary statement placed directly adjacent to the ingredient list. The transition period ended 25 February 2026 — full compliance is now mandatory.
- Each individual tree nut must be named separately — the generic term "tree nuts" is not acceptable under PEAL
- Fish, crustaceans and molluscs must each be declared separately
- The "Contains" summary statement is mandatory — must start with the word "Contains" in bold, placed directly adjacent to the ingredient list
- Sulphites must be declared when present at or above 10mg/kg, including as processing aids
| Per serve | Per 100g | |
| Energy | 000kJ | 000kJ |
| Protein | 0.0g | 0.0g |
| Fat, total | 0.0g | 0.0g |
| — saturated | 0.0g | 0.0g |
| Carbohydrate | 0.0g | 0.0g |
| — sugars | 0.0g | 0.0g |
| Sodium | 0mg | 0mg |
- Title must read "Nutrition Information"
- Per serve AND per 100g columns — both mandatory
- Serving size declared in metric units (g or ml)
- Energy in kilojoules (kJ) — mandatory. kcal is optional
- Mandatory term is "Sodium" in milligrams (mg) — not Salt
- Seven mandatory nutrients: Energy, Protein, Fat total, Saturated fat, Carbohydrate, Sugars, Sodium
- Dietary fibre — voluntary unless a fibre claim is made
- Regulated under Standard 1.2.8 of the Food Standards Code
Under Standard 1.2.8, a Nutrition Information Panel is not required for the following unless a nutrition claim is made: tea and coffee · herbs, herbal infusions and spices · vinegar · salt · water · gelatine · fresh or frozen single-ingredient fruit, vegetables, meat, poultry, fish or seafood (e.g. frozen octopus, frozen whole fish).
Important: A flavoured tea — even where the added flavouring is less than 1% (e.g. vanilla tea with 99.5% Camellia sinensis and 0.5% vanilla essence) — contains two declared ingredients and does not qualify. A NIP is required for all multi-ingredient products. The exemption is also lost if any nutrition claim appears on the label or in advertising.
- "Best before" and "use by" are the only two valid date marks in Australia
- The term "expiry date" has no legal standing and must never appear on a label sold in Australia
- All packaged food with a shelf life of 2 years or less must carry a date mark
- "Use by" — product must be consumed before this date for health and safety reasons
- "Best before" — product will remain fully marketable until that date
Standardise on "Best before [date] / Meilleur avant [date]" across all four markets. Canada's bilingual requirement is the most demanding — building to it satisfies Australia, UK and France simultaneously. This format is valid in all four markets with no modification required per corridor.
- Australia requires "Product of Mauritius" — not "Made in Mauritius". The precise wording matters and is legally enforced
- The origin statement must appear inside a clearly defined box — this is an Australian Consumer Law requirement
- "Product of" applies when substantially all ingredients originate in Mauritius and the product is produced there
- If a product is only packed or processed in Mauritius: do not use "Product of Mauritius" — use the true country of origin and add "Packed in Mauritius" where relevant
- Misleading origin claims are prosecuted by the ACCC with significant penalties
Use "Product of Mauritius / Produit de l'île Maurice" inside a clearly defined box on all labels for all four markets. Australia requires the box — the UK, France and Canada do not, but it adds no compliance burden and provides visual clarity. Canada's bilingual requirement is the reason both languages appear.
- The Australian or New Zealand importing entity's name and address must appear on all imported food — mandatory since 1 January 2016
- No specific wording is prescribed in Australia — name and address are sufficient
Use "Imported by / Importé par [Name], [Address]" across all four markets. Canada prescribes this exact wording — building to Canada's requirement satisfies Australia, UK and France simultaneously. Passage confirms the importing entity per corridor during product onboarding.
- English is mandatory for all mandatory label information sold in Australia
- Additional languages may appear alongside English
Label in English and French throughout. Canada's mandatory bilingual requirement is the driver — English satisfies Australia and the UK; French satisfies France; both together satisfy Canada. One label architecture. No market-specific versions required.
Passage has developed a unified labelling standard that meets requirements across Australia, the United Kingdom, France and Canada simultaneously — one label, four markets. Consult the Passage Standard →
The UK applies 14 major allergens under the Food Information Regulations 2014. Allergens must be emphasised — bold, different font, or contrasting colour — wherever they appear in the ingredient list. A separate "Contains" summary is not required but is recommended under the Passage standard.
- Natasha's Law (October 2021) — food Prepacked for Direct Sale (PPDS) requires a full ingredient list with allergens emphasised
- Since 1 January 2024, a UK or Channel Islands/Isle of Man address must appear on all food sold in Great Britain — EU addresses are no longer acceptable
- Northern Ireland has different requirements under the Windsor Framework — seek separate advice if supplying Northern Ireland
| Energy | 000kJ / 000kcal |
| Fat | 0.0g |
| of which saturates | 0.0g |
| Carbohydrate | 0.0g |
| of which sugars | 0.0g |
| Fibre | 0.0g |
| Protein | 0.0g |
| Salt | 0.00g |
- Title: "Nutrition" or "Nutritional information"
- Per 100g or per 100ml — mandatory
- Per portion is optional — if included, state portion size
- Energy in both kJ AND kcal — both are mandatory
- Nutrient order: Energy, Fat, Saturates, Carbohydrate, Sugars, Fibre, Protein, Salt
- Mandatory term is "Salt" in grams (g) — not Sodium
- Salt = Sodium × 2.5 (calculated from total sodium content)
- Fibre, vitamins, minerals — voluntary unless a claim is made
Under Annex V of the UK Food Information Regulations, a nutrition declaration is not required for: tea, herbal tea, coffee and chicory products · herbs and spices · vinegar · salt and salt substitutes · flavourings · alcoholic beverages above 1.2% ABV · single-ingredient unprocessed or matured products (e.g. frozen single-ingredient seafood).
Important: Flavoured teas are multi-ingredient products and do not qualify for the exemption. The exemption is lost if any nutrition claim appears on the label or in advertising.
- "Best before" and "use by" are the only valid date marks in the UK
- The term "expiry date" has no legal standing and must not appear on labels sold in the UK
- "Use by" — safety concern. "Best before" — quality concern.
Standardise on "Best before [date] / Meilleur avant [date]" — compliant in all four markets. See Australia section for full standardisation rationale.
- Both "Product of Mauritius" and "Made in Mauritius" are valid in the UK — "Product of Mauritius" is preferred and more accurate for most Mauritian food products
- Country of origin is mandatory for fresh beef, veal, pork, sheep, goat and poultry — for other products it is required only if absence would mislead the consumer
Use "Product of Mauritius / Produit de l'île Maurice" inside a clearly defined box. The box is not required in the UK but adds no compliance burden and maintains label consistency across all corridors. See Australia section for full standardisation rationale.
- A UK business name and address is mandatory on all food sold in Great Britain since 1 January 2024 — EU addresses are no longer valid
- No specific wording is prescribed — name and address must simply be present
Use "Imported by / Importé par [Name], [Address]" — compliant in all four markets. See Australia section for full standardisation rationale.
- English is mandatory for all mandatory label information sold in England, Scotland and Wales
- Post-Brexit, EU-compliant French-language-only labels are not automatically compliant in Great Britain — a UK-specific label or English overprint is required
- Additional languages may appear alongside English
If following the Passage standardisation recommendation of bilingual English/French throughout, the English text satisfies this requirement without any modification for the UK market.
Passage has developed a unified labelling standard that meets requirements across Australia, the United Kingdom, France and Canada simultaneously — one label, four markets. Consult the Passage Standard →
France applies the 14 EU major allergens under Regulation 1169/2011. Allergens must be emphasised — bold, different font, or contrasting colour — wherever they appear in the ingredient list. All label text must be in French.
- All mandatory label information must be in French — this is non-negotiable for the French market
- A Mauritian producer whose packaging is English-only must overprint or redesign labels before entering France
- Allergen emphasis in the ingredient list is mandatory — a separate summary statement is not required but is accepted
| Énergie | 000kJ / 000kcal |
| Matières grasses | 0.0g |
| dont acides gras saturés | 0.0g |
| Glucides | 0.0g |
| dont sucres | 0.0g |
| Fibres alimentaires | 0.0g |
| Protéines | 0.0g |
| Sel | 0.00g |
- Title: "Valeurs nutritionnelles" — all field names in French
- Per 100g or per 100ml — mandatory
- Per portion is optional — if included, state portion size and number of portions
- Energy in both kJ AND kcal — both mandatory
- Mandatory term is "Sel" (Salt) in grams (g) — not Sodium
- Sel = Sodium × 2.5 (calculated from total sodium content)
- Mandatory nutrient order: Énergie, Matières grasses, Acides gras saturés, Glucides, Sucres, Fibres, Protéines, Sel
Under Annex V of EU Regulation 1169/2011, the same exemptions apply as in the UK — tea, herbal tea, coffee, herbs, spices, vinegar, salt, waters, flavourings, alcoholic beverages above 1.2% ABV, and single-ingredient unprocessed products. See UK section for full detail.
- Required format: "À consommer de préférence avant le [date]" — the full legal form. "Meilleur avant" is the accepted shortened form in practice
- "À utiliser avant le [date]" — for products where health and safety require consumption before a specific date
- Both forms must be in French
Standardise on "Best before [date] / Meilleur avant [date]" — compliant in all four markets. "Meilleur avant" satisfies France's shortened form requirement. See Australia section for full standardisation rationale.
- Under EU Regulation 1169/2011, country of origin is mandatory for fresh meat, fish, and certain other categories — for other products it is required if absence would mislead the consumer
- Required format: "Produit de l'île Maurice" — must be in French for the French market
Use "Product of Mauritius / Produit de l'île Maurice" inside a clearly defined box. The French text satisfies France's mandatory language requirement. See Australia section for full standardisation rationale.
- An EU-registered entity's name and address must appear on all food imported into France
- Post-Brexit, a UK address is not sufficient for French market entry — a separate EU entity is required
- The address must be in French or include a French version
Use "Imported by / Importé par [Name], [Address]" — compliant in all four markets. The French text satisfies France's language requirement. Passage confirms the EU importing entity per corridor during product onboarding.
- French is mandatory for all mandatory label information sold in France — this is absolute and non-negotiable
- Additional languages may appear alongside French but cannot replace it
- A product with English-only labelling cannot legally enter the French retail market
If following the Passage standardisation recommendation of bilingual English/French throughout, the French text satisfies this requirement without any modification for the French market. This is one of the primary reasons the Passage standard requires French on all labels.
Passage has developed a unified labelling standard that meets requirements across Australia, the United Kingdom, France and Canada simultaneously — one label, four markets. Consult the Passage Standard →
Canada mandates declaration of priority allergens, gluten sources and added sulphites under the Food and Drug Regulations (FDR) and Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR). Allergens must appear in the ingredient list AND in a bilingual "Contains / Contient" statement. Both English and French declarations are mandatory.
- The "Contains / Contient" statement must be bilingual — both English and French are mandatory
- Example: "Contains: milk, wheat, soy. / Contient : lait, blé, soja."
- The statement must appear at the end of the ingredient list
- Sesame seeds were added to Canada's priority allergen list — confirm current CFIA guidance for the latest list
| Calories / Calories | 000 |
| % Daily Value* / % valeur quotidienne* | |
| Fat / Lipides 0g | 0% |
| Saturated / Saturés + Trans 0g | 0% |
| Carbohydrate / Glucides 0g | 0% |
| Fibre / Fibres 0g | 0% |
| Sugars / Sucres 0g | 0% |
| Protein / Protéines 0g | |
| Sodium / Sodium 0mg | 0% |
- Title: "Nutrition Facts / Valeur nutritive" — bilingual, prescribed exactly
- Values per serving — no per 100g column (distinct from Australia, UK, France)
- Energy expressed in Calories (kcal) — not kilojoules
- Mandatory term is "Sodium" in milligrams (mg)
- % Daily Value is mandatory for most nutrients
- Bilingual throughout — all field names in English and French
- Prescribed format — cannot be substituted with an Australian or UK panel
- Regulated under the Food and Drug Regulations (FDR) Part B, Division 1
The Canadian Nutrition Facts table is one of the most frequently non-compliant elements for Mauritian exporters. Do not use an Australian, UK or French nutrition panel for the Canadian market — the format, energy unit, column structure and bilingual requirement are all different. Canada requires a separately designed bilingual table.
Under the Canadian Food and Drug Regulations (B.01.401), a Nutrition Facts table is not required for: tea and coffee · raw single-ingredient fish and seafood (except ground) · raw single-ingredient meat and poultry (except ground) · fresh fruit and vegetables · alcoholic beverages.
Important: Frozen octopus sold as a single-ingredient raw seafood product qualifies for the exemption. Plain tea (single ingredient) qualifies. Flavoured teas are multi-ingredient products and do not qualify — a bilingual Nutrition Facts table in the prescribed Canadian format is required. The exemption is also lost if: a vitamin or mineral is added to the product · a nutrition claim appears on the label or in advertising · the product is ground meat or poultry.
- "Best before / Meilleur avant [date]" — required bilingual format for most packaged food
- "Use by / Utiliser avant [date]" — for products where health and safety require consumption before a specific date
- The term "expiry date" has no legal standing in Canada and must not appear on labels
- Both English and French date mark text are mandatory
Canada's bilingual requirement is the most demanding of the four markets on date marking. Standardise on Canada's format for all markets: "Best before [date] / Meilleur avant [date]". This is compliant in Australia, UK, France and Canada simultaneously. See Australia section for full standardisation rationale.
- Bilingual origin statement is mandatory — both English and French are required
- Required format: "Product of Mauritius / Produit de l'île Maurice"
Canada's bilingual requirement drives the standardised recommendation for all four markets. Use "Product of Mauritius / Produit de l'île Maurice" inside a clearly defined box. See Australia section for full standardisation rationale.
- Canada prescribes specific bilingual wording — the only market of the four to do so
- Required format: "Imported by / Importé par [Canadian name and address]" or "Imported for / Importé pour [Canadian name and address]"
- Both English and French are mandatory
Canada's prescribed bilingual wording drives the standardised recommendation for all four markets. Use "Imported by / Importé par [Name], [Address]" on all labels. This satisfies Canada's specific wording requirement while meeting the name-and-address requirements of Australia, UK and France. See Australia section for full standardisation rationale.
- Bilingual English and French labelling is mandatory for all prepackaged consumer food sold in Canada — this is absolute and non-negotiable
- All mandatory information must appear in both languages with equal prominence
- French text must be at least as large as English text
- Products sold exclusively to commercial or industrial enterprises are exempt — retail products are not
This is the most demanding language requirement across the four markets. Canada's bilingual requirement is the primary reason the Passage standardisation recommendation uses bilingual English/French throughout — satisfying Canada automatically satisfies Australia, UK and France on language.