When Is Nutrition Labelling Mandatory in Malaysia? Which Foods Must Label It (With the 6 Nutrients and Exemptions)

Not every food needs nutrition labelling. In Malaysia, under Regulation 18B of the Food Regulations 1985, only specific "prescribed foods" are required to declare their nutritional content; the rest are mostly voluntary. So answer the core question first: if your product falls within the prescribed foods listed in the regulations, you must label; if not, it is mostly voluntary — but once you choose to label, the format and figures must meet the requirements. This article explains which foods must label, which 6 nutrients are required, and the key format points. (For the full overview, see the Complete Guide to Malaysia Food Labelling Regulations.)

Which foods require mandatory nutrition labelling?

Regulation 18B requires mandatory nutrition labelling for packaged foods that are commonly eaten. Common prescribed categories include:

Most other foods are voluntary. Still, more and more brands label proactively, because chain-retail listings, e-commerce price comparison, and consumer health awareness all favour products with clear nutritional information. When judging whether you fall into a prescribed category, always check against the text of the regulations — do not rely on the product name intuitively.

Which 6 nutrients must be declared?

The nutrients required for mandatory declaration are fixed at 6 items, best presented in Malay / English side by side:

• Energy (Tenaga / Energy)
• Protein (Protein)
• Carbohydrate (Karbohidrat / Carbohydrate)
• Total sugar (Jumlah Gula / Total Sugar)
• Fat (Lemak / Fat)
• Sodium (Natrium / Sodium)

These 6 are the baseline; if you additionally make a "high fibre" or "low fat" claim, extra declarations and thresholds come into play (see nutrition claims vs health claims). In practice, figures should be obtained by calculating from the actual formula or by lab testing, with the calculation / test evidence retained for inspection; simply copying figures off the internet or filling them in by feel easily fails to match during a spot check and leads to a correction order.

How should the format be presented?

Nutritional information is presented as a "Maklumat Pemakanan / Nutrition Information" table. Key points:

• Values are usually labelled "per 100 g / 100 ml" and/or "per serving."
• If per-serving labelling is used, you must state the number of servings per package, and the serving definition must be reasonable and verifiable (you cannot deliberately shrink the serving to make the numbers look good).
• The language is Malay or English; for imported products originally labelled in another language, the common practice is to add compliant labelling via an overlay sticker (see how to overlabel foreign-language food labels for compliance).

Why do more brands "label even voluntarily"?

Even outside the mandatory scope, many brands still choose to do nutrition labelling, for very practical reasons:

• Channel gatekeeping: chain supermarkets, pharmacies and e-commerce platforms often treat clear nutritional information as a basic listing requirement.
• Consumer trust: with rising health awareness, transparently labelled products are more persuasive on the shelf and make it easier for consumers to compare prices and nutrition.
• Marketing needs: to headline "high protein" or "low sugar," you first need supportable nutritional data.

In other words, nutrition labelling is increasingly a "ticket to entry" rather than a "bonus point." But remember: once you do voluntary labelling, you must match the required format and figure accuracy — you cannot do it half-way.

Expanded scope from 2024

FSQD has expanded the scope of nutrition labelling from 2024 (rolled out together with new rules such as Quantitative Ingredient Declaration (QUID)). This means some products that were previously voluntary may be brought into the mandatory scope. To understand QUID at the same time, see Quantitative Ingredient Declaration (QUID) — the two often apply together but have different requirements. Before launching or revising, be sure to confirm whether your product falls under the new rules, to avoid printing a batch of non-compliant packaging based on old assumptions; once misprinted, the cost of reprinting and delayed launch usually far exceeds the cost of checking beforehand.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Q: Does voluntary labelling also have to meet the format? Yes. Even if not mandatory, once you put nutritional information on the packaging, it should meet the required format and figure accuracy — you cannot invent your own layout or estimate the numbers.

Q: Do imported foods also need nutrition labelling? It is judged the same way, by category. If it is a prescribed food under Regulation 18B, it must be labelled, in Malay or English, usually handled via an overlay sticker.

Q: Can small packages be exempt? Some labelling items have room for relaxation on very small packages, but whether nutrition labelling applies is still subject to the regulations; it is best to check first with a quick label check.

Q: Can I just copy the supplier's figures? You can refer to them, but the responsibility lies with the labeller. Once the formula, supplier or process changes, the figures may become inaccurate and should be re-confirmed.

Self-check checklist

• [ ] Confirmed whether the product is a prescribed food under Regulation 18B.
• [ ] All 6 nutrients are complete and presented in Malay / English.
• [ ] Uses per-100g/100ml or per-serving format, with the number of servings per package stated.
• [ ] The serving definition is reasonable and the figures have a formula basis.
• [ ] Checked whether the 2024 expanded scope affects your product.

Summary

The logic of nutrition labelling in Malaysia is "mandatory only for prescribed foods," with the core being the 6 nutrients + the correct format, plus the change of expanded scope from 2024. Work out whether you need to label and what is still missing, so you don't print packaging in vain.

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This article is compiled from official regulations and is for reference only; actual compliance is subject to the latest official text and review by the competent authority.