Wine · Explainer

What does the QR code on a wine bottle mean?

Behind the QR code on a wine bottle you will find the ingredients list and the nutrition declaration. Since 8 December 2023, producers may provide these two items digitally instead of on the paper label. The rules apply to wine from the 2024 harvest and later. The allergens and the energy value must still appear on the bottle itself.

In brief

The key figures

Name E-label or electronic label
Applicable since 8 December 2023
Applies to Wine from the 2024 harvest and later
Behind the code Ingredients list and nutrition declaration
Stays on the label Allergens and energy value
Older bottles Wine from before the date remains exempt until stocks run out
Basis Regulation (EU) 2021/2117, amendment of Regulation 1308/2013
In detail Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1606 and the communication of 24 November 2023

What do you find behind the QR code on a wine bottle?

Behind the code are the ingredient list and the nutrition declaration of the wine.

The European Commission allows producers to offer those two items of information via a QR code or another electronic means instead of printing them on the label. The condition is that the digital information is as visible and accessible to the consumer as a printed label.

What you see differs per producer. Some brands show only the mandatory information, others add the origin and the method of preparation.

Since when has that code been on wine bottles?

The new labelling rules have applied since 8 December 2023.

They apply to all wine from the 2024 harvest and later. Wine produced before 8 December 2023 remains exempt until stocks run out; as a result, bottles with and without a code will sit side by side on the shelf for years to come.

The basis lies in Regulation (EU) 2021/2117 of 2 December 2021, which amended Regulation (EU) 1308/2013.

What must still be on the paper label?

Two items remain mandatory on the bottle itself: the allergens and the energy value.

Allergens are the substances that can cause an intolerance. With wine this usually means sulphites and fining agents based on milk or egg. That declaration must therefore not disappear behind a code.

Since the same amendment, the energy value is part of that. The rest of the nutrition declaration may be provided digitally.

Why was this rule introduced?

Wine used to fall outside the obligation to list ingredients and nutritional values that already applied to other foods.

Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 governs food information to consumers, with requirements on allergens, the ingredient list and nutritional value. Wine had an exemption from it.

With the reform of the common agricultural policy of December 2021, that gap has been closed. On 24 November 2023 the European Commission published a communication with questions and answers on its implementation.

What do you do if you cannot scan the code?

Ask in the shop; we will look up the details for you.

The information behind the code must be just as accessible as a printed label, so it can also be retrieved on a computer. The address behind the code is an ordinary web page.

Bellen kan ook, op 0570 541 278. Alcohol verkopen wij niet aan wie jonger is dan achttien jaar. NIX18.

From the shop in Bathmen

Which French wines are on the shelf in Bathmen?

The shop in Bathmen stocks 379 French wines from 177 different brands. Prices range from € 4.44 to € 389.99. The alcohol percentage ranges from 0.05% to 20%.

Filter all wine

Related questions

What does the vintage on a wine bottle mean?What does vieilles vignes mean on a wine bottle?What do acidity or freshness mean in wine?

Short answer

Short answers to related questions

Is there a QR code on every wine bottle?
No. The rules apply to wine from the 2024 harvest and later; older bottles remain exempt until stock runs out.
May allergens also be placed behind the QR code?
No. Allergens and the energy value must stay on the physical label.
Which regulation underlies the e-label?
Regulation (EU) 2021/2117 of 2 December 2021, which amended Regulation (EU) 1308/2013. The elaboration is in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1606.
Do the same rules apply to beer and spirits?
No. The December 2021 amendment concerns viticultural products. Other drinks are subject to their own rules.

Further

Read more

All about wine at 't Bockjefilter wine by country, taste and priceAll brands at a glanceWhat is the difference between champagne, cava and prosecco?What does dry wine mean?What is the difference between Old World and New World wine?What do AOC, DOC and DOCG mean on a wine label?All questions about wine

The reasoning

Sources

  1. New rules for wine labelling enter into application, European Commission, Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (accessed 7 September 2026)
  2. Verordening (EU) 2021/2117 tot wijziging van onder meer Verordening (EU) nr. 1308/2013, European Parliament and Council, via EUR-Lex (accessed 7 September 2026)
  3. Mededeling van de Commissie van 24 november 2023: vragen en antwoorden over de nieuwe etiketteringsvoorschriften voor wijn, European Commission, via EUR-Lex (accessed 2026-09-07)
  4. Verordening (EU) nr. 1169/2011 betreffende de verstrekking van voedselinformatie aan consumenten, European Parliament and Council, via EUR-Lex (accessed 2026-09-07)
  5. Gedelegeerde verordening (EU) 2019/33 over oorsprongsbenamingen, traditionele aanduidingen en etikettering van wijn, European Commission, via EUR-Lex (accessed 2026-09-07)

This page was written and checked by ’t Bockje Bathmen, wine & spirits shop at the Brink 2 in Bathmen. Last updated on 15 September 2026.

Verkoop van alcohol onder de 18 jaar is verboden. NIX18.