Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme: Labelling requirements

Last updated: 28 March 2025

From 1 July 2025, additional food and retail goods must be individually labelled. This includes composite products that are not shelf stable or require sanitary and phytosanitary controls, such as pizza.

Composite products contain both products of plant origin and processed POAO for human consumption. Use the decision tree to determine whether your product is a composite product.

Some plant-based products are subject to official controls, meaning they need individual labels.

Pet food and the following products for humans need individual labels in phase 3.

All pre-packed and sealed fruit and vegetables

Such as:

• packed fruit such as apples, oranges, blueberries
• green beans, beansprouts and other packaged vegetables
• herbs, including those in bags

Some fruits are deregulated in accordance with plant health legislation and do not need individual labelling. Some fruits and vegetables that are processed do not need individual labelling. Read the list of exemptions on this page to check which fruit products do not need individual labels.

All fresh, frozen and processed fish

Such as:

• fresh fish such as haddock, cod, salmon, trout, monkfish
• other fresh seafood such as prawns, crab, lobster
• tinned fish such as tuna, anchovies, mackerel
• breaded and battered fish products such as fillets and scampi
• seafood sticks
• fish pâté

Other POAO

Such as:

• eggs
• honey

All chilled or frozen composite products and some chilled plant products that require certification or controls at a border control post (BCP)

Such as:

• quiches, lasagne, pork pies, scotch eggs, tortillas or omelettes, coleslaws, potato salads and other similar savoury snacks
• pasta sauces, guacamole, thousand island dressing, gravy, hummus and other similar sauces and dips
• pizzas, raviolis and other pastas containing meat, pasties, pies, noodles containing meat, meal kits with dairy sauce, loaded fries, ready meals and other similar chilled meals
• eclairs, doughnuts, tarts, trifles, sundaes, crumbles, pies, mousses, brownies, strudels and other similar chilled or frozen desserts
• ice creams that are a mix of dairy products and plant products not used simply for flavouring (such as oils)
• chilled soups containing meat or fish
• chilled dairy-based drinks such as iced lattes and milkshakes

All shelf-stable composite products, unless they are listed in the ‘Exemptions’ section

Shelf-stable composite products that do require individual labelling include:

• baking ingredients
• icing mixes
• meal kits where they contain non-exempt POAO such as cheese
• infant or baby powders and formula
• mayonnaise and pesto

High risk food of non-animal origin (HRFNAO), where it is controlled under Regulation 2019/1793

Such as: 

• rice originating from India or Pakistan 
• tea originating from China 
• peanuts (groundnuts) originating from the United States of America 

The goods in scope of Regulation 2019/197 are updated on a regular basis. Check the legislation for an up-to-date list.

Some cut flowers

Cut flowers where they are listed in Part A of Annex XI and Annex XII to the phytosanitary conditions Regulation (EU) 2019/2072, such as:

• cut conifer, pine and fir trees
• cut Christmas trees
• orchids
• roses
• chrysanthemum