Do Swiss wines need an ingredients list?

Not for the Swiss market. The Federal Council chose not to align with Regulation (EU) 2021/2117 for wines sold in Switzerland (WRS). For wines exported to the EU, the EU rules apply in full, including the ingredients list and the nutrition declaration.

Switzerland counted 1,524 encaveurs in the 2024 harvest control, and most sell at home. For those that ship to Germany, Belgium or France, the EU bottles need a different back label, or one label that works in both.

What must change on a Swiss label for the EU?

The importer, the provenance written for EU consumers, the energy value and the allergens in the language of the country of sale, and access to the ingredients list and nutrition declaration with the word “ingredients” next to the QR code (Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013).

What must change on a Swiss label for the EU?
PointSwiss marketEU market
Ingredients and nutritionNot requiredRequired, label or QR
Energy value on the labelNot requiredRequired if the table is online
ImporterNot applicableEU importer, name and address
ProvenanceSwiss rulesProduct of Switzerland
AllergensSwiss rulesIn the language of each EU country of sale
E-labelVoluntaryUsual way to give ingredients and nutrition

One label or two?

An EU-compliant label is also lawful in Switzerland, so many encaveurs use one label for both. Others keep their Swiss label and add an EU back label only for the export bottles. Below a few thousand export bottles a year, a sticker applied by the importer can be cheaper.

What do Swiss encaveurs most often miss when exporting?

The EU importer, the energy value printed on the label, the ingredients list with EU additive categories, and an e-label without marketing in the language of the destination. Swiss labels are often fine for Switzerland and incomplete for the EU.

  • No EU importer on the label.
  • No energy value printed (E (100 ml) = … kJ / … kcal).
  • No QR code, or a QR code to the estate's shop page.
  • Allergen wording only in French or German for a Dutch or Italian buyer.
  • French pregnancy warning missing on wine sold in France.

Which EU markets do Swiss wineries usually target first?

Neighbouring markets that share a language: Germany and Austria for German-speaking cantons, France and Belgium for Romandy, Italy for Ticino. One back label in two languages, with an e-label in both, often covers the first export markets.

The Swiss market is small, trilingual and close to the EU, which makes it a good test for a label that must work on both sides of the border.

How do I prepare a back label for the EU from Switzerland, step by step?

Start from your analysis and cellar records, write the text in the language of the market, check it against the EU and national rules, publish the e-label, then approve a proof before printing. The order matters: changing text after the layout is where most errors creep in.

  1. Collect the analysis of the vintage (alcohol, residual sugar, acidity) and the list of additives and fining agents used.
  2. Write the ingredients list and the allergen line in the language of each EU country of sale: “contient des sulfites / enthält Sulfite”, and “ingrédients / Zutaten” next to the QR code.
  3. Calculate the energy value per 100 ml and print it as “E (100 ml) = … kJ / … kcal”.
  4. Add the name and address of the EU importer and the provenance “Product of Switzerland” in the language of the market.
  5. Publish the e-label in the language of each EU country of sale, without marketing or tracking, and test the QR code on several phones.
  6. Check the full proof at 1.2 mm of x-height before printing, and keep the file for the next vintage.

What do Swiss rules require on a wine label sold in Switzerland?

Swiss food law sets its own list of mandatory information for wine: name and category, origin, alcohol, volume, allergens, the person responsible, in at least one official language. It is close to the old EU list, without the ingredients list and nutrition declaration.

This is why a Swiss label usually needs only a few additions for the EU: the importer, the energy value, the QR code with the word “ingredients” and the allergen wording in the language of the destination. The bigger job is the e-label page, which must be written, translated and kept up to date.

How much does it cost for a Swiss winery?

The free check costs nothing. The back label and the hosted e-label start at €290 a year for up to 5 wines, with prices in CHF on request. Printing is quoted, delivered to the cellar, or replaced by a checked PDF for your usual printer.

Can I pay in Swiss francs?

Yes. Our prices are available in CHF for Swiss wineries. The free label check is the same everywhere: send your label and the EU countries you target.

Questions from winemakers

Do Swiss wines need a QR code?

Not for Switzerland. For bottles sold in the EU, a QR code to an e-label is the usual way to provide the ingredients and nutrition required there.

Is the e-label recognised in Switzerland?

Yes, on a voluntary basis since July 2025, according to the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office.

Who decided that Swiss wine does not need the EU ingredients list?

The Federal Council, on 15 November 2024, for wines sold only in Switzerland.

Sources

Selection criteria: we cite official texts first (EUR-Lex, national law portals), then named surveys with their publisher.

Updated on November 2, 2026 by the WineLex team