South Korea's Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment announced that it will ban plastic labels on bottled drinking water starting January 1, 2026.
According to the ministry, product information previously printed on labels will be accessible via a QR code on the bottle cap; for smaller packages, the information can be displayed on the outside of the packaging or the handle. Kim Hyo-jung, Director of the Korea Water Resources Policy Agency, stated, "The core of the label-free system is to reduce plastic use and simplify recycling processes while providing the public with information on drinking water safety, thereby building a sustainable consumption environment."
The government stipulates that product name, production date and shelf life, water source, and contact information must be clearly displayed on the container or bottle cap.
Products sold online and bundled offline will be produced and sold entirely without labels starting next year; a one-year transition period will be provided for products sold individually offline.
Government Support Measures:
South Korea's Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy will collaborate with the production and distribution industries to provide barcode stickers, pre-enter product information at points of sale, and strengthen consumer education.
The ministry will also promote the widespread adoption of information scanning devices and provide support to small businesses.
The ministry stated, "To reduce the increase in plastic use due to market expansion, we have been gradually promoting a label-free drinking water system since 2020. As of October 2025, the production share of label-free products has increased to 65%."
"After the full implementation of the label-free drinking water system, it is estimated that 2,270 metric tons of plastic usage will be reduced annually (based on a production of 5.2 billion bottles in 2024), plastic that was originally used to produce label stickers."
To further reduce plastic use in the beverage packaging industry, South Korea also stipulates that from 2026, bottled water and non-alcoholic beverage manufacturers using more than 5,000 tons of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) material annually must include at least 10% recycled plastic in their product packaging.
