When is country of origin mandatory in the EU?

Where omitting it could mislead, for certain meats such as pork, lamb, goat, poultry and beef, and for foods covered by specific EU rules such as fruit and vegetables, honey, olive oil, fish and eggs.

Do restaurants have to state meat origin?

Not under the EU prepacked rules, though some countries have national rules for catering. Any origin claim made on a menu must be accurate.

What does 'origin' mean for meat?

For pork, lamb, goat and poultry, 'origin' may be used only if the animal was born, reared and slaughtered in the same country.

Is 'Made in' the same as origin?

Not always. For processed food, origin is generally where the last substantial transformation took place, which may differ from where the main ingredients came from. That is why the primary ingredient rule exists.

Article 26 of EU 1169/2011: when country of origin must be shown

Q: What is the primary ingredient rule?

If a food's origin is given and differs from the origin of its primary ingredient, the primary ingredient's origin must also be indicated, under Regulation (EU) 2018/775.

By the Menulta editorial team · Facts checked 15 October 2026 · Updated 15 October 2026

The short answer

Article 26 of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 makes country of origin or place of provenance mandatory where leaving it out could mislead consumers about the true origin of the food, and for certain meats: fresh, chilled and frozen meat of pigs, sheep, goats and poultry, under Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1337/2013. Beef has its own rules. Where the origin of a food is given and differs from the origin of its primary ingredient, the primary ingredient's origin must also be indicated, under Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/775.

When origin is mandatory

Where failure to indicate it might mislead the consumer about the true country of origin or place of provenance, in particular if the information accompanying the food or the label as a whole would otherwise imply a different origin.
For meat of the codes listed in Annex XI: fresh, chilled or frozen meat of swine, sheep, goats and poultry. The detailed rules are in Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1337/2013.
For beef and veal, under separate rules in Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 and earlier beef labelling legislation.
For other foods covered by specific EU rules, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, honey, olive oil, fish and eggs, under their own marketing standards.

Meat origin: 'reared in' and 'slaughtered in'

For prepacked pork, lamb, goat and poultry meat, Implementing Regulation 1337/2013 requires the label to show the Member State or third country where the animal was reared and where it was slaughtered, along with a batch code. 'Origin: [country]' may be used only where the animal was born, reared and slaughtered in one country. For beef, the label must show where the animal was born, reared and slaughtered, along with a reference code linking the meat to the animal or group of animals.

The primary ingredient rule

Article 26(3) says that where the country of origin of a food is given and it is not the same as that of its primary ingredient, the origin of the primary ingredient must also be given, or at least stated to be different. Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/775, applicable since 1 April 2020, sets out how. A 'primary ingredient' is one that makes up more than 50% of the food or that consumers usually associate with the name of the food.

Example: a jar labelled 'Italian pesto' whose basil comes from another country must indicate that the basil is from elsewhere, or that it is not from Italy.

Origin claims on restaurant menus

Restaurant food is non-prepacked, so the mandatory origin rules for packaged meat do not apply to menu dishes in the same way, although some Member States have national rules on beef or meat origin in catering. What always applies is Article 7: an origin claim on a menu must be true. 'Local fish', 'Maltese rabbit', 'Gozo cheese' or 'Sicilian pistachios' must reflect where the ingredient actually came from.

Origin claims are a strong selling point, especially for tourists who want local food. They are also easy to get wrong when suppliers change. If a claim depends on a supplier, check it with each delivery or phrase it more carefully.

Keeping origin claims accurate

Making origin claims on menus safely
Claim	Risk	Safer approach
'Local fish'	Catch may be imported on some days	'Fish of the day', with origin given by staff or on the daily board
'Maltese rabbit'	Supplier may mix local and imported	Confirm with supplier; keep invoices
'Fresh local vegetables'	Seasonal imports	Name local items specifically when in season
'Italian burrata'	Usually accurate; check brand	Keep the label of each delivery

Origin and tourists

Tourists often choose a restaurant to taste local food, and origin claims influence their choice. That makes accuracy especially important in tourist areas. If only some of your fish is local, say which dishes use local catch and when. Staff who can explain where ingredients come from add genuine value to the meal, and honest answers protect your reputation better than a broad claim that cannot always be true.

Sources

This guide is general information, not medical or legal advice. Guests with an allergy should follow their doctor's advice. Operators should confirm their own setup with their food safety adviser or local authority.