Labelling food products

If you produce, process, pack, import or sell organic food and want to label it as organic, you must register with one of the organic control bodies operating in Northern Ireland. You can decide which body to register with based on your location and business needs.

You can only label pre-packed foods 'organic' if at least 95% of the ingredients are organic.

Rules on labelling food as organic

Organic food labels on pre-packed food products in Northern Ireland must, under the Windsor Framework, comply with national and EU labelling rules and show three elements:

1. Origin: You must tell customers where ingredients were grown - eg 'EU Agriculture', 'non-EU Agriculture', 'EU/non-EU Agriculture', or NI-specific like 'UK (NI) Agriculture'. These indications may be replaced or supplemented by a specific country where all agricultural raw materials have been farmed in that country.
2. Control body code: You must include details of your approved organic certifier, in the required format - eg 'XI-ORG-XX'.
3. EU organic logo: This is mandatory for EU/NI-produced prepacked organic products. Follow the rules on the use of organic logo.

These three elements on the label ensure traceability. Official NI guidance sets out the labelling rules for organic food and use of the EU logo in Northern Ireland.

Labelling ingredients as organic in non-organic products

For products with under 95% organic ingredients (non-organic products), you can describe ingredients as 'organic' only in the ingredients list (eg 'organic flour'), provided that the ingredient meets the required organic standards. You must include the control body code number where required.

Rules for retailers

If you are a retailer, you can label products ‘organic’ as long as:

• at least 95% of the product’s agricultural ingredients are organic
• you sell direct to customers in your shop (from farm shops to supermarkets)
• you have not imported the organic product

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has information on key areas (including labelling) if you produce, process, label or trade in organic food and feed in Northern Ireland.