Food Label Translation for Irish Exporters

Why label translation is a compliance matter, not a style matter

A mistranslated label is a compliance failure, not a style problem. EU food labelling requirements set the bar. Allergen names must use the regulated Annex II terms. The nutrition declaration is a closed list.

• The 14 regulated allergens must be named specifically. Write "almond", not "nuts". Name sulphites chemically: sodium metabisulphite, not E220.
• "May contain" statements cannot substitute for good manufacturing practice.
• Labels have fixed size and legibility rules. Mandatory text needs a minimum x-height of 1.2 mm (0.9 mm under 80 cm²). Translated text expands, forcing a re-plate.
• Two labelling regimes apply at once. Great Britain follows retained UK rules. Northern Ireland stays on EU rules. Irish SPS goods to GB need prenotification and a DAFM export health certificate for medium-risk goods.

The documents we translate for producers and exporters

We translate the regulated label set and its supporting technical documentation. Product label translation and food packaging translation follow the same rules.

• Regulated label text covers back-of-pack labels, ingredient lists, allergen declarations, QUID and net quantity. Best-before and use-by dates and storage conditions follow the same rules.
• Technical and audit documentation: specification sheets, HACCP plans, FSMS files, BRCGS and IFS audit evidence, certificates of analysis.
• Official files include organic certificates under Regulation (EU) 2018/848. PDO and PGI applications fall under Regulation (EU) 1151/2012. DAFM and SFPA issue export health and catch certificates; we translate the supporting documents.
• Mandatory food information must appear before purchase under FIC Article 14. Distance sales need written allergen information under S.I. 489/2014. PIM and marketplace copy are in e-commerce translation.
• Marketing and trade material covers brochures, sell sheets, trade-show collateral and Origin Green reporting. Brand campaigns follow transcreation and marketing translation.
• Bilingual English and Irish label work lives in Irish translation.
• Certified translations of official files are in certified translation, part of our Marketing & brand coverage.

How we keep labels compliant, consistent and fitting the artwork

Linguists with deep food-regulatory experience translate every regulated text. Terminology aligns to FIC Annex II and Codex and EFSA vocabulary.

Terminology. Per-brand glossaries and translation memory are versioned across labels, specs, e-commerce and PIM. The glossary ships with every job for your sign-off trail.

6-eyes QA. Three people work on every regulated text: one prepares it, one translates it, and one proofreads it against the regime rules.

Typesetting and bilingual layout. Labels have fixed size and legibility rules. Typesetting controls text expansion inside the label, preserving the minimum x-height of 1.2 mm (0.9 mm under 80 cm²). See How we handle files.

Machine translation policy. Regulated label text is translated by qualified linguists, and a qualified linguist signs off on every label. Machine translation covers only non-regulated catalogue copy, with defined post-editing.

Certified and audit-ready

The process is certified to ISO 9001, ISO 17100 and ISO 18587 since 2021.

Certification. ISO 17100 governs the process. ISO 18587 governs machine-translation post-editing. ISO 9001 covers quality management.

Audit-ready delivery. Files are delivered with a clear audit trail for BRCGS and IFS documentation cycles.

Regime checklists. Each job includes a market regime checklist for GB, NI, EU and ROI. Briefings explain which rules apply.

Certification of labels. No law requires a certified translation for labels. A wrong label translation is the exporter's liability. Choosing certified translation moves that liability to us.

Generalists do not carry FIC and Annex II fluency or these checklists.

See How we work for the full certified process.

Process and timeline around launch and review calendars

Demand in food and drink follows known calendars. We plan capacity around them.

Calendar peaks. Retail new-year range reviews, Anuga and SIAL, audit season and Christmas drive the peaks. UK paperwork runs per consignment since January 2024.

Version control. An ingredient or allergen change propagates to every language version at once. No outdated label reaches the shelf.

Project management. A dedicated project manager owns your schedule. A priority lane covers peaks. Early-order planning keeps launch windows intact.