Strict Potato labeling in Hungary mandates inclusion of variety and cooking-type

According to information from the press office of the Agricultural Ministry, a new mandatory labelling regulation applies, starting September, to all potatoes sold in Hungary, whether packaged or sold in bulk.

The labels will have to include information, not only about the variety and the country of origin, but also about the cooking-type.

The regulation, which came into force in mid-May for sweet potatoes, will not apply to items that were packaged and labelled before it came into force; however, any potatoes sold from now on will be required to include the new labels. Besides the variety, the country of origin and how the product needs to be cooked, it must be specified whether the product is "potatoes" or "new potatoes", and in packaged potatoes, the label will also include the distributor's name, address, date of packaging and the minimum size of the tubers.

This new regulation aims to help consumers in choosing the most suitable type of potatoes product. The information must be indicated on the packaging or on a label attached to it, which shall be in a legible place.

Since it is mandatory for potatoes sold in bulk, the rules apply also to market traders.