South Korea may extend no-label rule to imported water — Korea Herald
South Korea is considering extending the requirement to remove plastic wraparound labels to imported bottled mineral water. The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment held a meeting with water importers to gather their views on switching to bottles without such labels, Korea Herald reports.
Consultations with importers
The ministry described the meeting as part of regular consultations with industry representatives, during which several issues were discussed. No final decision on extending the rule to imported products has yet been made.
The requirement currently applies to mineral water produced in the country and took effect on January 1. Information previously printed on the plastic label is placed in a QR code on the bottle cap. Retailers can also scan these codes when processing customer payments.
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Position of local producers
Local producers believe that the current rules put them at a disadvantage on store shelves, as imported water can still be sold with labels. Kim Do-yong, president of Jeju Province Development Corp., which produces Jeju Samdasoo water, said that after the switch to label-free bottles, shoppers need more time to find a brand. He also said the company intends to ask the authorities to apply the same requirements to imported products.
For bottles sold individually in stores, the government has provided for a one-year transition period, as some retailers need time to adapt their checkout systems. The ministry estimates that the rule for domestic production could reduce plastic waste by about 2,270 tonnes annually. The calculation is based on data showing that about 5.2 billion bottles of mineral water were produced in the country in 2024.
According to Yonhap, imports account for a single-digit share of South Korea's bottled mineral water market. As of September 2024, the country had 63 mineral water producers and 107 importers. At the same time, the requirement does not apply to mixed beverages, a category that includes some types of water with added minerals.
