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SPI Regulation Tracker

Packaging rule · China · Design rule

GB 23350-2021 restriction of excessive packaging (food and cosmetics)

Design rule rule covering all packaging in China, set by State Administration for Market Regulation; Standardization Administration of China. Applies since 1 September 2023.

By the SPI teamRule ID PR-CN-003Source consulted 13 October 2026Verified 13 October 2026
Sourced facts

The rule

Recorded from the official source named below. Rates and dates are as the source states them on the date it was consulted.

Jurisdiction
China
Authority
State Administration for Market Regulation; Standardization Administration of China
Rule type
Design rule
Materials
All packaging
Status
In force Enacted
Rate or target
20 % of sales price (max packaging cost)Void ratio caps range from 85% (50 mL/g).
Adopted or published
10 August 2021
Applies from
1 September 2023
From the source

“生产组织应采取措施 ，控制除直接与内装物接触的包装之外所有包装的成本不超过产品销售价格的 20%。”

Official source Hong Kong Trade and Industry Department: circular reproducing GB 23350-2021Official (government or regulator) · consulted 13 October 2026

Deadlines

Key dates

  1. Adopted or published 5 years ago

  2. Applies from 3 years and 1 month ago

  3. Source consulted by the SPI team today

  4. Re-checked by a second SPI team member today

SPI analysis

What it means

SPI analysis Our reading of the official source above. Not legal advice; always rely on the official text.

SPI summary

Mandatory national standard limiting excessive packaging of food and cosmetics. Grain products may have at most three packaging layers and other products four; void ratios are capped by net content; packaging cost excluding the direct-contact layer may not exceed 20% of sales price.

In practice

GB 23350-2021 is a mandatory standard, in effect since 1 September 2023, that limits excessive sales packaging of food and cosmetics in China. Packs are judged on three tests: number of layers (three for grain products, four for others), void ratio by net content (from 85% for 1 mL or g or less down to 30% above 50 mL or g), and packaging cost excluding the contact layer, which may not exceed 20% of sales price. Failing any one test counts as excessive packaging, so brand owners and pack designers selling in China need to test each SKU.

Who is in scope

  • Sales packaging of food and cosmetics sold in China
  • Layers counted from the contact layer outward, excluding product-inherent materials such as zongzi leaves and tight overwrap film under 0.03 mm

Who is not

  • Gifts and non-sale items, as summarised from the scope in the reproduced text
  • The void ratio table does not apply to products with only one sales packaging layer

What to do and by when

  1. NowCheck layer count, void ratio and packaging-cost share for each food and cosmetics SKU sold in China.
  2. NowMap multi-product and gift-style packs using the largest single item's net content for the void ratio.
  3. NowKeep cost breakdowns for layers 2 and above to evidence the 20% limit.

Related rules

  • PR-CN-002 Administrative Measures for Postal and Express Packaging
    Excessive packaging duties on express parcels in China.
  • PR-CN-001 Opinions on Further Strengthening Plastic Pollution Control (NDRC/MEE 2020 No. 80)
    National plastics restrictions in the same policy area.
  • PR-EU-009 PPWR: maximum 50% empty space in grouped, transport and e-commerce packaging
    EU empty-space ratio limit on grouped, transport and e-commerce packaging.

Where the record is unclear

  • The source is a Hong Kong government circular reproducing the standard, not the mainland standards portal; the official Chinese text was not opened.
  • Whether later amendments to the standard (for example for specific seasonal products) exist was not checked.
  • The reproduced text does not say how products made before 1 September 2023 were treated.

Sources for this note

  1. Hong Kong Trade and Industry Department: circular reproducing GB 23350-2021 Consulted 13 October 2026

Note written by the SPI team on 13 October 2026.

Where it sits in the tracker

  • One of 3 packaging rules we track in China, of which 2 are design rule rules.
  • In all, 6 design rule rules are tracked across 2 jurisdictions. Compare them below

Company profiles that map to this rule

Companies whose SPI profile lists this rule in its regulatory exposure, based on where they report selling. Not company-reported.

Audit trail

Change history

Verified: a second SPI team member re-checked every fact above against the source on 13 October 2026. Any later change to the facts sends the rule back to Sourced and is logged here.

  1. Verified by a second SPI team member

  2. Changed: quote

  3. Added to the tracker

Spotted an error? Write to sales@strategicpackaginginsights.com quoting PR-CN-003 and the source. Corrections are logged in this history.

Other jurisdictions

Design rule rules elsewhere

The same type of rule for the same materials in other jurisdictions, by the date it applies.

RuleWhereTypeMaterialsStatusApplies from
SUP Directive: tethered caps on plastic beverage containersPR-EU-015European UnionDesign ruleSingle-use plasticIn force3 July 2024
PPWR: PFAS limits in food-contact packagingPR-EU-002European UnionDesign ruleAll packagingIn force12 August 2026
PPWR: all packaging recyclable by 2030PR-EU-010European UnionDesign ruleAll packagingAdopted, not yet applying1 January 2030
PPWR: maximum 50% empty space in grouped, transport and e-commerce packagingPR-EU-009European UnionDesign ruleAll packagingAdopted, not yet applying1 January 2030

Every design rule rule in the tracker

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