China Updates GB 23350 for Restricting Overpackaging of Food, Affecting Tea and Baby Foods

On March 25, 2024, China State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) published the Second Amendment Sheet to GB 23350-2021 Requirements of Restricting Excessive Package–Foods and Cosmetics. Major revisions include package layers, package cost, total mass of commodities and k values.

Most revisions will take effect on March 1, 2025, except for the new k values affecting product types such as tea and complementary baby foods, which will be enforced with immediate effect. Before March 1, 2025, commodities produced as per the original GB 23350-2021 can still be sold until their expirations.

Background

In an ongoing effort to combat excessive packaging and promote environmental sustainability, China introduced the GB 23350-2021 Requirements of Restricting Excessive Package–Foods and Cosmetics in August, 2021, replacing the previous GB 23350-2009. This version stipulates more detailed packaging requirements for 31 categories of foods and 16 categories of cosmetics. For an in-depth interpretation, please refer to ChemLinked News.

Following this, in 2022, China recognized the need for further refinement of this GB standard and enacted the First Amendment Sheet to GB 23350-2021, with effect from August 15, 2022. The amendment introduces more stringent packaging requirements for two Chinese traditional festival foods, namely, mooncakes and zongzi (rice dumplings). Detailed interpretation of this amendment can be found in ChemLinked News.

Moving forward, in August 2023, China proposed the Second Amendment Sheet to GB 23350-2021, indicating a continuous drive towards optimizing packaging efficiency and reducing waste. Details on the proposals of the Second Amendment Sheet are available through ChemLinked News.

Major revisions

Package layers of tea

The Second Amendment Sheet changes the packaging requirements for tea, reducing the maximum number of layers from four to three. This change addresses the current issue of excessive packaging in tea products.

GB 23350-2021

Package layers of grain and its processed products: ≤ 3 layers;

Package layers of other commodities: ≤ 4 layers.

First Amendment Sheet to GB 23350-2021

Package layers of grain and its processed products, mooncakes and zongzi: ≤ 3 layers;

Package layers of other commodities ≤ 4 layers.

Second Amendment Sheet to GB 23350-2021

Package layers of grain and its processed products, mooncakes, zongzi and tea: ≤ 3 layers;

Package layers of other commodities: ≤ 4 layers.

Package cost of tea

The new requirements for tea packaging costs stipulate that for tea products with a sales price above 200 RMB, the total cost of packaging (excluding the layer that directly in contact with the tea) shall not exceed 15% of the selling price. Furthermore, the use of precious metals and Hongmu (红木) in tea packaging is prohibited, aligning with the restrictions already in place for mooncakes and zongzi as outlined in the First Amendment Sheet to GB 23350-2021.

GB 23350-2021	Cost of all packages (excluding the package directly in contact with the contents): ≤ 20% of the product selling price.
First Amendment Sheet to GB 23350-2021	Cost of all packages (excluding the package directly in contact with the contents): ≤ 20% of the product selling price; Cost of all packages of mooncakes and zongzi with sales price over 100 RMB: ≤ 15% of the product selling price; Precious metals and Hongmu (红木) should not be used in the packaging of mooncakes and zongzi.
*Second Amendment Sheet to GB 23350-2021*	Cost of all packages (excluding the package directly in contact with the contents): ≤ 20% of the product selling price; Cost of all packages of mooncakes and zongzi with sales price over 100 RMB: ≤ 15% of the product selling price; Cost of all packages of tea with sales price over 200 RMB: ≤ 15% of the product selling price; Precious metals and Hongmu (红木) should not be used in the packaging of mooncakes, zongzi and tea.

Total mass of tea

The Second Amendment Sheet adds a new section, 4.5 Total mass of commodities, which stipulates the total mass of tea products should not exceed 8 times the mass of the tea in the contents.

Necessary spatial coefficient

As per GB 23350-2021, the interspace ratio is primarily determined by the necessary spatial coefficient of commodity, represented by the k value. The smaller the K value, the larger the interspace ratio. Compared to the current standard, the Second Amendment Sheet sets new k values for several commodities and further detailed k value requirements for tea products.

GB 23350-2021

Dairy powder: k=3.0

Tea and tea products: k=13.0

First Amendment Sheet to GB 23350-2021

Dairy powder: k=3.0

Tea and tea products: k=13.0

Second Amendment Sheet to GB 23350-2021

Process-specific k values:

Products that have undergone freeze-drying process: k=18.0; Instant dried sea cucumber products that undergo freeze-drying: k= 60.0;
Products that have undergone the puffing process, k= 20.0;
Powdered food products that have undergone the spray-drying process, or those primarily composed of spray-dried ingredients: k=6.0;

k values of tea and tea products:

Tea and tea products (compressed tea): k=9.0;
Tea and tea products (loose tea and tea related products): k=13.0;
Certain types of tea include Taiping HouKui, Maofeng, ShouMei, Bai MuDan, etc.: k=20.0;
Leaf and flower substitute teas: k=60.0;

k values of some other products:

Milk powder and formulated milk powder products: k=6.0;
Cereal-based complementary foods for infants and young children: k=6.0;
Cookies and other cereal-based complementary foods for infants and young children: k=10.0;
Rice crackers for infants and young children: k=20.0;
Meat crisps used in nutritional supplements: k=10.0;

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