Project LARGO and the total revision of the Swiss food law

With Project LARGO, the Swiss food law underwent a complete revision. On 1 May 2017, the new food law and numerous new regulations will enter into force.

On our service portal, webcasts and information services provide registered users with comprehensive details on the new Swiss food law.

Reasons for the total revision

Following this total revision, Swiss law will be further harmonised with EU law. Alignment of the statutory regulations with EU law will dismantle certain trade barriers. Furthermore, consumers in Switzerland will continue to benefit from a high level of protection. The new law lays down the basis for participation in early warning systems for food and product safety, such as RASFF (Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed) and RAPEX (Rapid Alert System for Dangerous Non-food Products).

Important Changes
Food
  • new: mandatory declaration of nutritional value
  • new: minimum font size 1.2 mm
  • amended: label of origin of ingredients
  • remains: name of the country of production
Cosmetics
  • new: protection against fraud
  • new: traceability
  • new: safety report
  • new: ban on animal testing
Consumer Goods (goods involving food contact)
  • new: protection against fraud
  • new: traceability
Toy
  • new: traceability
Remote selling (catalogue, internet, telephone, TV, etc. – except vending machine sales)
  • new:
    all legal details relating to food (except best-before date and goods batch) must be available at the time of offering for sale. They must appear on the packaging material of the remote selling business or be made available by other suitable means.

Export to Switzerland

Food exported to Switzerland and consumer goods must comply with Swiss food legislation. The Cassis de Dijon principle and the numerous exceptions thereto still apply!

Transitional periods

From 1 May 2017:

  • Terms, definitions and concepts of the new food law
  • Health and fraud protection
  • Traceability of cosmetic agents, consumer goods, toys

From 1 May 2018:

  • Information on remote selling
    Ban on animal testing for cosmetic 

From 1 May 2021:

  • Safety report on cosmetic agents

You can obtain further information on the project LARGO in form of webcasts and information services specially for the target market "Swiss".