The scope of Russia’s mandatory product labelling keeps widening — and in 2026 it reaches one of the most common product groups in the food sector: baked goods, chocolate and confectionery. Here are the two critical dates and the preparation process for exporters shipping these products to Russia, or planning to.
The new scope: which products, and when?
- 1 May 2026: baked goods enter scope — croissants, pastries, rolled products and cakes.
- 1 July 2026: the confectionery group enters scope — chocolate products, dragées, caramel and chewing gum.
From those dates on, these products cannot be sold or cleared through customs in Russia without a DataMatrix code. Every product unit in scope must carry a unique code registered in the Chestny Znak system.
Why prepare now?
Every previous category transition showed the same pattern: the companies that leave it to the last moment get stuck at customs. Preparation — the electronic signature, EDI infrastructure, the product card and GTIN, the code order, the labelling method and equipment installation — can take anything from a few weeks to a few months. Starting at least six to eight weeks before the date leaves a safe window for uninterrupted shipping.
What is specific about labelling food products
- Packaging variety: baked goods and confectionery are mostly sold in small, flexible or foil packaging — the printing method (direct print versus label) has to match the packaging type.
- Shelf life and batch tracking: serial and batch information has to be managed consistently for both labelling and food safety regulation.
- High volume, low unit value: this category is typically high-count and low-priced per unit, so code cost and production line speed have to be planned together.
Preparation checklist
- Compare your products’ customs codes against the scope list.
- If you are not registered in Chestny Znak, start the electronic signature and EDI process.
- Prepare the national-catalogue product card and GTIN for each SKU.
- Choose the printing or labelling method suited to your packaging type.
- Verify code readability and EDI data transfer with a test batch.
Be ready with us
This new food-sector scope carries serious shipping risk for companies caught unprepared. We manage the whole process — from the scope check to code generation, from a labelling method suited to your packaging to EDI integration. Look at our end-to-end labelling package or get in touch for a free initial assessment, and be ready for 1 May and 1 July.
Related guides: our Russia labelling guides section has more on scope, customs codes and DataMatrix production.
