New food labelling rules introduce fines of up to MVR 1 million

The Maldives Food and Drug Authority (MFDA) has gazetted a new regulation governing the packaging and labelling of food products, introducing penalties of up to MVR 1 million for violations.

The Regulation on Packaging and Labelling of Food was published on Wednesday and sets standards for food products manufactured, imported and exported in the Maldives.

According to the regulation, food products may not be sold without labels or with labels that provide misleading information.

The regulation establishes requirements for both packaging and labelling, with the aim of ensuring that consumers receive accurate information about food products available on the market.

Under the new rules, food products must be packaged using food-grade materials. Packaging must remain suitable for use until the product's expiry date and must not cause chemical or physical changes to the food.

The regulation also prohibits the use of containers not intended for food storage and bans the reuse of single-use plastic containers, including PET bottles, for food packaging purposes.

The MFDA has been granted powers to impose fines and take administrative action against businesses that fail to comply with the requirements.

Businesses found selling products with misleading labels may face fines ranging from MVR 10,000 to MVR 750,000. The authority may also suspend or revoke business registrations and licences.

Violations of labelling requirements carry penalties ranging from MVR 10,000 to MVR 1 million. The regulation states that businesses with five or more violations may be fined up to MVR 1 million and could lose their operating licences or registrations.

Failure to comply with packaging requirements may result in fines ranging from MVR 5,000 to MVR 100,000.

The regulation also provides the MFDA with discretion to impose higher penalties, including the maximum fine, depending on the nature of the violation.

In cases where a breach of the regulation also constitutes an offence under the law, authorities may pursue criminal proceedings in addition to administrative penalties.

The regulation repeals the previous National Standard for Labeling Prepackaged Food.

Businesses have been granted a six-month transition period to ensure that products packaged and labelled before the regulation came into force comply with the new requirements.