Front-of-pack labeling for food exported to Argentina: seals and warnings
Front-of-pack labeling means the black octagonal seals (excess sugars, total fat, saturated fat, sodium and calories) and the precautionary statements required by Law 27.642 on packaged food and non-alcoholic beverages. It also applies to imports: the Spanish label must carry them before sale. Within food import authorization, the Nutritional Seals and Warnings Declaration is filed, now with SENASA (formerly INAL).
- Required by
- Ley 27.642, arts. 3° y 4°
- Agency
- SENASA
- Estimated timing
- [COMPLETAR] for the seals declaration. Use of remaining label stock has a duration of 5 business days according to SAGyP Res. 135/2026.
- Official fee
- [COMPLETAR]
- Our fee
- Tailored quote
Why it is mandatory
Law 27.642 and its regulation (Decree 151/2022) set when a product carries each seal, based on added critical nutrients and limits per serving. Since Disp. (ANMAT) 11362/2024, the calculation considers nutrients added during manufacturing, not those naturally present in the food.
A correct label is part of the approval that allows the product to be sold and remain on the market. A miscalculated or missing seal is a breach of the Food Code detected on the shelf, with stock already sold or distributed.
Decree 697/2026 left labeling and warning regulation with the Ministry of Health (Secretariat of Health Management) and enforcement with SENASA. The law remains in force as of 2 October 2026, although a repeal bill is before Congress.
What the regulation says
«Quedan sujetos a las obligaciones establecidas en la presente ley todas las personas, humanas o jurídicas, que fabriquen, (…) importen, (…) de alimentos y bebidas analcohólicas (…) en cuya composición final el contenido de nutrientes críticos y su valor energético exceda los valores establecidos de acuerdo a la presente ley, deben incluir en la cara principal un sello de advertencia indeleble por cada nutriente crítico en exceso»Unofficial translation: “All natural or legal persons who manufacture, (…) import, (…) food and non-alcoholic beverages (…) whose final composition exceeds the established limits for critical nutrients and energy value, are subject to the obligations of this law and must display on the main panel an indelible warning seal for each critical nutrient in excess”
«Las infracciones a las disposiciones de la presente ley serán pasibles de las sanciones establecidas en el Capítulo III del Título IV del decreto 274/2019, de Lealtad Comercial, según corresponda.»Unofficial translation: “Violations of the provisions of this law shall be subject to the penalties established in Chapter III of Title IV of Decree 274/2019 on Fair Trade, as applicable.”
Rules that require it
- Ley 27.642 (BO 12/11/2021): Healthy Eating Promotion: warning seals, statements and advertising restrictions.
- Dec. 151/2022 (BO 23/03/2022): Regulates Law 27.642: critical nutrient limits and seal design.
- Disp. (ANMAT) 11362/2024 (BO 26/12/2024): Amends Disp. 2673/2022: Nutritional Seals and Warnings Declaration System and application manual.
- Dec. 697/2026 (BO 03/08/2026): Concentrates in SENASA the registration, control and oversight of CAA foods and removes INAL from the National Food Control System. Recognizes previous licenses and registrations as valid without re-registration (art. 32).
- Res. (SAGyP) 135/2026 (BO 07/08/2026): Adds to SENASA's fee schedule (SAGyP Res. 54/2026) the food fees previously charged by ANMAT, with their procedure duration.
Products covered
Check front-of-pack labeling if you export:
- Cookies, snacks, candy and chocolate.
- Non-alcoholic beverages, juices and flavored waters.
- Sauces, dressings, preserves and soups.
- Products with sweeteners or caffeine, which carry precautionary statements.
- Industrial inputs (UPEI) do not reach shelves, but their classification is worth confirming.
Requirements and documents
To declare and label, these inputs are needed, mostly from the manufacturer:
- Complete formula with added ingredients and their quantities.
- Nutrition table per serving under the CAA.
- Seal calculation with the official calculator of the Seals Declaration System.
- Spanish label artwork with seals and statements on the main panel.
- The product's RNPA, or an import notice if it has Annex III certification.
Official fees and timing
| Concept | Amount | Valid | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nutritional Seals and Warnings Declaration | [COMPLETAR] | [COMPLETAR] | No figura como concepto separado en la Res. (SAGyP) 135/2026 |
| Use of remaining label stock (IC4013) | $ 216.750 | 2026 | Res. (SAGyP) 135/2026, Anexo |
| Modification in the RNPA for a label change, per modification (IC4172) | $ 176.700 | 2026 | Res. (SAGyP) 135/2026, Anexo |
Artwork design, label printing and nutritional analyses at private laboratories are not official fees and are quoted separately.
Estimated timing
[COMPLETAR] for the seals declaration. Use of remaining label stock has a duration of 5 business days according to SAGyP Res. 135/2026.
Depends on: Whether the declared formula matches the seal calculation and whether the label requires an RNPA modification.
Our fee is quoted in writing for your case: upload your documents below and get a tailored quote.
Already have part of the documents? Upload them and get a quote.
How we handle it remotely
Calculation
With your factory's formula we calculate the seals and statements that apply per serving.
Artwork
We specify size, position and order of the seals so your designer can adjust the label.
Declaration
We declare the seals together with the RNPA or the import authorization.
Existing stock
If printed labels are no longer valid, we request use of remaining stock before it becomes a breach.
Control
We keep the calculation and declaration in a file to answer any inspection.
Risks of not having it
- A Food Code breach for a label that does not match what was declared, with Law 18.284 sanctions applied by SENASA (Decree 697/2026, art. 8).
- Market withdrawal of the mislabeled batch, at the importer's expense.
- Relabeling of warehouse stock, which delays sales.
- Advertising aimed at children for products with seals, restricted by Disp. (ANMAT) 11378/2024.
15+ years with Argentine agencies
Argentina's front-of-pack warning seals have changed several times since Law 27,642, and a repeal bill is now under debate. In more than 15 years dealing with regulators, we have seen the usual mistake is not the seal design but the math: nutrition tables from the country of origin badly converted to local servings, or added sugars left unidentified. We recalculate everything before a single label is printed.
Frequently asked questions
Do imported foods carry the octagonal seals?
Yes. Law 27.642 applies to packaged food and non-alcoholic beverages sold in Argentina, regardless of origin. The Spanish label must include the applicable seals and statements before sale. Even when importing by notice from an Annex III country, local labeling rules must be met.
How is it calculated whether a product needs a seal?
Critical nutrients are compared with the limits of Decree 151/2022. Since ANMAT Disp. 11362/2024, only sugars, fats and sodium added during manufacturing are considered. The excess calories seal appears only if there is also excess sugars, total fat or saturated fat. There is a publicly available official calculator.
Can labeling be done in Argentina instead of at origin?
Yes, relabeling at destination is possible, but the product must be correctly labeled before it reaches sale and the warehouse must be authorized for that operation. Decide where labeling happens before shipment so it is declared correctly in the notice or the authorization.
Has the front-of-pack labeling law been repealed?
No. As of 2 October 2026, Law 27.642 remains in force according to InfoLEG. In May 2026 a bill to repeal it was introduced in Congress, and the Government is working on a regional MERCOSUR regulation. Until a new rule is published, seals remain mandatory.
What happens to labels already printed?
The importer can request use of remaining label stock, which SENASA charges ARS 216,750 in 2026 with a duration of 5 business days (SAGyP Res. 135/2026). It is requested before the label is challenged, not after. We help work out whether it is better to use up stock or relabel.
Related procedures
RNPA: product registration
The RNPA (National Food Product Registry) is the number that identifies each food product authorized in Argentina.
SENASAImport notice (Annex III)
The food import notice is a sworn statement that replaces the prior RNE and RNPA when the product has a certificate of free sale from a country in Annex III of Decree …
SENASADietary supplements
Dietary supplement registration is the entry of each supplement in the RNPA so it can be sold in Argentina: protein powders, vitamins, minerals, creatine, collagen, pr…
Get a tailored quote for front-of-pack labeling (seals)
If you already have experience and want a competitive quote to compare, or to optimize costs and timing, send us your background documents and we quote with priority.
- 1Upload your documents and tell us about the product.
- 2We review them against the regulation that applies.
- 3You receive a written quote and, if something is missing, the exact list.
- 15+ years with Argentine agencies
- Fully remote, nationwide
- Official fees published with source
- Reply within 6 hours
- Experience with every agency
Quick question instead?