Marmalade from June 14, 2026: New EU Rules for Designations

From June 14, marmalade in all fruit varieties may once again be called that in retail. This eliminates the requirement to read "Konfitüre" on supermarket shelves. Despite everything, the traditionally Austrian term never disappeared from everyday usage – the majority of consumers already spoke quite naturally of Marmelade, even when the label read Konfitüre.

In addition to the designation rules, the amendment also adjusts the minimum fruit content of marmalades – from the previous 350 to 450 grams per kilogram, and to 500 grams for "extra" products. This is intended to reduce sugar content and promote a healthier composition. For consumers, this means more fruit and, as a rule, less added sugar in the jar.

More Fruit, Less Sugar

The amendment also brings clearer rules for honey. Until now, honey blends were only required to indicate whether the product originated from the EU or not. In future, all countries of origin and their percentage shares must be clearly shown on the label for honey blends. The aim is to make the origin of the honey immediately recognizable to buyers.

Stricter Rules for Honey

The interest group "Biene Österreich" recently praised the amendment as a success in the fight against imported cheap honey and a strengthening for domestic beekeepers. Domestic beekeeping hopes that the more transparent label will bring greater appreciation and ultimately more market share compared to cheaper imported goods.

Reactions from Beekeepers

Economically, the new minimum standards are likely to put pressure on manufacturers to adjust their recipes. Smaller manufacturers that already use high fruit content see it more as a confirmation of their existing approach. Large corporations may have to readjust in order to meet the required 450 grams of fruit per kilogram in the standard range and 500 grams in the "extra" range.

For the food retail sector, the change primarily means adjusting labels and internal product range designations. Since most stores already said "Marmelade" when they meant Konfitüre, everyday language is likely to catch up with the new label reality faster than years of discussion would have suggested. Consumers, on the other hand, must prepare for higher fruit content and more clearly declared honey blends – changes that will become visible and noticeable at the next breakfast.

The changes were first reported by APA (6/7/2026).