Breaking into the Swedish food labelling market is easy with us

BBLTranslation, Featured, Food labelling

As a translation agency specialising in food label translations, we understand the unique challenges and critical importance of accuracy in this field. Translating food labels is more than a linguistic exercise; it involves a deep understanding of regulations, cultural nuances, and consumer preferences. For companies looking to enter the Swedish market, it is essential to ensure that your food labels are not only translated accurately but also comply with all relevant regulations. Here, we outline the key considerations for translating food labels from English to Swedish and highlight the pertinent regulations.

Understanding the regulatory landscape

Entering the Swedish market requires adherence to several key regulations. The most important of these include:

  • EU Regulation no. 1169/2011 (FIC 1169/2011): This regulation mandates the provision of food information to consumers, aiming to ensure that labels are clear and comprehensive. It covers aspects such as the list of ingredients, nutritional information, allergen declarations, and legibility.
  • EU Implementing Regulation no. 2018/775: This regulation, related to Article 26(3) of FIC 1169/2011, focuses on the rules for indicating the country of origin or place of provenance of the primary ingredient of a food product. Compliance with this regulation is crucial for maintaining transparency and trust with consumers.
  • Swedish National Regulation Livsmedelsverkets föreskrifter 2003:39: This regulation specifically addresses the labelling requirements for milk and cheese products in Sweden. It is important for companies dealing with these products to understand and comply with these specific guidelines to avoid regulatory issues.

Key considerations for accurate translation

Regulatory compliance: Each food label must adhere to the regulations mentioned above. This means not only translating the text but also ensuring that the information structure, content, and presentation meet legal standards. For instance, allergen information must be highlighted appropriately, and the country of origin must be stated clearly if required. Also, fat in dry matter is not mandatory information in Sweden, only the real fat %.

Cultural nuances: Swedish consumers have their own cultural preferences and expectations when it comes to food labelling. For example, organic and locally sourced products are highly valued. Therefore, translating food labels involves understanding these cultural nuances and presenting the information in a way that resonates with Swedish consumers.

Terminology accuracy: Food terminology can vary significantly between English and Swedish. Accurate translation of terms such as ingredients, nutritional values, and dietary claims is critical. Misunderstandings or inaccuracies can lead to regulatory fines or consumer distrust.

Visual and design elements: The layout and design of food labels are as important as the text itself. Swedish regulations stipulate certain legibility requirements, such as minimum font sizes and contrasts. Ensuring that the translated text fits within the design while maintaining compliance is a crucial step.

Our translation process

Our translation process for food labels involves several meticulous steps to ensure compliance and accuracy:

Regulatory review: We start by reviewing the relevant regulations for the specific product type and target market. This helps us identify any mandatory information and design requirements.

Terminology management: We maintain an extensive glossary of food-related terms and regulatory phrases to ensure consistency and accuracy across all translations.

Cultural adaptation: Our translators are not only language experts but also well-versed in Swedish culture and consumer preferences. This ensures that the translated labels are both accurate and appealing to the target market.

Quality assurance: Every translation goes through a rigorous quality assurance process, including proofreading by a second linguist and a final review by a regulatory compliance expert.

In a nutshell

Entering the Swedish food market requires more than just translating your food labels; it demands a thorough understanding of the regulatory environment and cultural preferences. At BBLTranslation, we specialise in translating food labels from English to Swedish with precision and compliance. By partnering with us, you can ensure that your products are labelled accurately and appealingly, helping you build trust with Swedish consumers and succeed in this competitive market.

For more information on our translation services and how we can help your business, please contact us today.

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b. To complain to the Supervisory Authority: if a user considers that their data is not being used properly, and this matter is not addressed by BBL, they may submit a complaint to the relevant data protection authority, which in Spain is the Agencia Española de Protección de Datos.

Important warning: we recommend that you carefully read the contents of this legal text prior to providing any personal data through the website of Bibielle Global Translations, SL, owner of and responsible for the correct application of the Privacy Policy.
In accordance with the regulations applicable to the protection of personal data, and the new provisions contained in the General Data Protection Regulation (hereinafter GDPR), directly applicable from 25 May 2018, Bibielle Global Translations, SL informs you of the following:
i. Contact details of the Data Controller: Bibielle Global Translations, SL (hereinafter BBL), with Tax Identification No. B65336885, registered office at Calle Cartagena 241, Barcelona, 08025 Spain, and contact e-mail legal@bbltranslation.eu.

ii. Purposes: Data collected through the contact e-mail address, or service quotation request form, will be incorporated into files owned by BBL with the purpose of handling, managing and responding to your request or contact. The data provided will not be used for purposes other than those for which it was collected.

iii. In addition, and on a voluntary basis, you may provide your consent (by ticking the corresponding box or registration) to us sending commercial communications, by any route and/or electronic means, and keeping you informed about the services which, being similar to the current ones, may interest you, and which BBL offers to its Clients and users under more advantageous conditions, and to carry out market or customer satisfaction surveys.

iv. Retention: The data will be retained for the time necessary to achieve the purposes for which it was collected, in order to respond to the subject of your request or contact, and while there continues to be a mutual interest. It will be deleted when it is no longer necessary for such purposes, the commercial or contractual relationship ends, unless its retention is required by law.

If you provide your consent to the sending of commercial communications, personal data will be processed actively while you have the status of User, or until you withdraw your consent.

v. Data communication: In no event will your data be transferred or communicated to a third party, unless required by law; nor will it be transferred internationally, except with the unequivocal consent of the data subject, and prior information about the possible recipients, purpose and, where appropriate, country of destination.

vi. Duty of secrecy: BBL complies strictly with the duty of secrecy and confidentiality of personal data, and for this reason has implemented technical, organisational and security measures to prevent its unauthorised alteration, loss, processing and/or access, taking account of the state of the art, the nature of the stored data and the risks to which they are exposed, all of this as established by Spanish and European legislation on the Protection of Personal Data.

vii. Rights of the data subject:

a. To exercise the rights of access, rectification, erasure and objection, limitation of treatment, data portability and not being the subject of automated individual decisions, by writing to Bibielle Global Translations, SL, Calle Cartagena 241, Barcelona, 08025 Spain or at legal@bbltranslation.eu indicating the subject of your request, and attaching a [copy of your] national identity card or passport.
b. To complain to the Supervisory Authority: if a user considers that their data is not being used properly, and this matter is not addressed by BBL, they may submit a complaint to the relevant data protection authority, which in Spain is the Agencia Española de Protección de Datos.

viii. If you receive commercial communications by electronic means, in accordance with the Spanish Law of Information Society and Electronic Commerce Services (LSSICE), you may withdraw your consent, unsubscribe or modify your data using the same channel, through the e-mail address legal@bbltranslation.eu, which will be specified in each communication.