From next year, South Korea will prohibit manufacturers and retailers from attaching plastic labels to bottled drinking water.
South Korea produces approximately 5.2 billion plastic bottles each year, and as of writing, 65 per cent of these are now sold without labels.
The Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment said the shift to label-free packaging will require consumers to access product information through QR codes printed on bottle caps. Meanwhile, multi-pack products will display information on outer wrapping or carrying handles.
Five essential details, including product name, manufacturing and expiry dates, water source and contact information, must still be printed directly on bottles or caps.
However, small retailers raised concerns about the lack of point-of-sales systems capable of scanning QR codes.
Officials have held a series of consultations with manufacturers, supermarkets, convenience store chains and small retailers to prepare for the rollout.
To support small shops, the government plans to provide barcode stickers, pre-loaded product information for point-of-sale systems and expanded access to QR-scanning equipment.
“The transition to label-free aims to ensure safety information remains accessible while reducing plastic use,” said Kim Hyo-jung, a senior ministry official.
Online and multi-pack products must fully comply by next year, while single bottles will be phased out gradually.
