site.btaBulgarian Consumer Group Welcomes New EU Honey Origin Labelling Rules

Bulgaria's Association for Affordable and Quality Food welcomed new European Union rules requiring detailed origin labelling for honey blends, saying the measure would improve transparency and help consumers make informed purchasing decisions.

The rules, which take effect on June 14 under Directive (EU) 2024/1438, require producers and traders to list all countries of origin of honey used in blends and their respective percentage shares on product labels. The change replaces the previous practice of using broad descriptions such as “blend of EU honeys” or “blend of EU and non-EU honeys,” the Association said in a press release Thursday.

Association Chair Dr. Andrey Velchev said the measure was a major step forward for consumer rights and transparency, adding that honey had long been associated with concerns over misleading labelling and unclear origin information.

The organization said the new requirements were particularly important for Bulgaria, which has faced problems with counterfeit bee products, misleading labelling and unfair competition affecting domestic producers. It also stressed the need for effective enforcement of the rules and urged consumers to support Bulgarian beekeepers and producers by paying close attention to the new labels.