Wine E-Label QR Codes: EU Rules for Ingredients and Nutrition, Explained for the 2026 Vintage

Introduction

September is harvest time across Europe’s vineyards, and for many wineries it is also label time. As the 2026 vintage moves from the vineyard to the cellar, producers are finalizing the labels that will carry it to market, and one element is now standard on EU wine bottles: the e-label QR code.

Since December 8, 2023, wines produced for the EU market must provide a list of ingredients and a nutrition declaration, following the reform introduced by Regulation (EU) 2021/2117. Rather than cramming all of it onto the bottle, the rules allow most of the information to be provided electronically, and the QR code has become the default way to do it.

Getting it right matters. The rules are specific about what must remain on the physical label, how the QR code must be identified, and what the e-label page can contain. This guide explains them in practical terms.

Note: This article is informative. Check the regulation, the European Commission’s guidance, and your national authority or trade association for the rules that apply to your products.

What Must Stay on the Physical Label

Even with an e-label, some information must remain printed on the bottle:

• The energy value, expressed in kJ and kcal per 100 ml, which may be shown with the symbol “E”
• Allergens, such as sulphites or egg- and milk-derived fining agents, which must appear on the physical label
• All the other traditional mandatory particulars such as alcohol content, nominal volume, bottler, and origin

What Can Go on the E-Label

The rest of the nutrition declaration and the full list of ingredients can be provided through the e-label:

• Full nutrition declaration: fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates, sugars, protein, and salt
• List of ingredients, including additives and processing aids that must be declared

How the QR Code Must Be Identified

A key detail: consumers must understand that the QR code leads to ingredient and nutrition information, not to a marketing site. The Commission’s guidance indicates that the code should be accompanied by a clear term such as “Ingredients”, in the language of the market where the wine is sold. A symbol alone is not enough.

What the E-Label Page Cannot Do

This is where many wineries go wrong. The e-label page must be a neutral information page:

• No marketing or sales content on the same page as the mandatory information
• No collection or tracking of user data, which means no analytics cookies or trackers on the e-label
• Information in the right language for each market

If you want to tell your winery’s story, offer tasting notes, or sell online, use a separate QR code with its own clear call to action. Keep compliance and marketing apart.

Designing the E-Label Page

A good e-label page is simple:

1. Product name, vintage, and category
2. List of ingredients
3. Nutrition table per 100 ml
4. Allergens (repeated for clarity)
5. Producer identification

Make it load fast, work on any phone, and remain online for as long as the wine may be in circulation, which can be many years for wines meant for ageing.

The Scale Problem

A mid-sized winery can easily have:

• 15 wines
• 3 vintages in the market at once
• 4 export languages

That is potentially 180 different e-label pages and QR codes, each of which must be correct, stable, and printed on the right label.

How to Organize It

1. Create one row per wine, vintage, and language in a spreadsheet, with the e-label URL for each
2. Use a clear URL structure, for example winery.com/e/tempranillo-2026-en
3. Generate all codes at once with a bulk QR code generator like MultipleQR and download them in a single ZIP for your label designer
4. Test each code on printed proofs before the final print run
5. Keep the spreadsheet as your register of codes and destinations

Static QR Codes and Tracking

Because e-labels must not track users, a static QR code that points directly to your e-label page on your own domain is often the cleanest option. Many dynamic QR services add redirects and analytics by default, which may conflict with the no-tracking rule. If you want analytics, use them only on your separate marketing code. Our guide to dynamic vs static QR codes explains the difference.

Print and Placement Tips

• Minimum size: keep the code large enough to scan on a curved bottle. Test on a real bottle, not a flat proof
• Contrast: dark code on a light background. Metallic inks and textured papers can reduce readability
• Placement: usually on the back label next to the mandatory information
• Quiet zone: leave clear space around the code
• Durability: consider ice buckets and humid cellars when choosing paper and varnish

For more on printing, see our guide to QR codes on packaging.

Beyond Compliance: A Second Code for Storytelling

Many wineries now use two codes: a compliant e-label code labeled “Ingredients”, and a marketing code on the front or neck label for tastings, food pairings, the vineyard story, or wine club sign-ups. Used this way, the bottle becomes a direct channel to the consumer without breaking the rules.

Conclusion

Wine e-labels have turned QR codes into a standard part of the bottle in Europe. The rules are clear if you follow three principles: keep energy and allergens on the label, identify the code clearly as “Ingredients”, and keep the e-label page neutral and free of tracking.

With the 2026 vintage labels being prepared now, it is a good moment to organize your e-labels properly. MultipleQR lets you generate every e-label code for every wine, vintage, and language from a single list and download them free in one ZIP.