Overview
- The Milchproduktqualitätsverordnung (MilchPQV) takes effect on June 14, 2026, and requires manufacturers and retailers to update packaging and product information to meet the new labeling rules.
- Products labeled “laktosefrei” must contain less than 0.1 grams of lactose per 100 grams or milliliters and must show the lactose content on the package.
- The label “frisch” is now limited by concrete criteria so that ordinary drinking milk may only be called fresh if it is kept at or below 8 °C and has an unopened shelf life of no more than three weeks.
- Names for heat treatments such as pasteurisiert, hocherhitzt and sterilisiert are tied to defined procedures and must be accurately declared, and mixes of milk from different animals must list each species and their percentages with a small‑share exception below 5 percent.
- The rules also force disclosure of added plant ingredients and added vitamins or minerals, which aims to stop products that mimic milk from misleading shoppers and will prompt packaging redesigns and possible product changes across the dairy and plant‑based sectors.