A label review - sometimes called an artwork check - verifies that the markings on your consumer products are complete, correct, and consistent across every labelling carrier: the type label on the product, the instruction manual, and the packaging.

Labelling is the first thing customs authorities and market surveillance officers see. Under the EU Market Surveillance Regulation (EU) 2019/1020, even a single formal deviation can entitle authorities to order a full product test - with the costs passed on in full to the responsible economic operator. A label review identifies deviations before your product reaches the market.

Label reviews cover three key dimensions:

• Completeness - All required particulars and symbols are present for your product and the applicable directives and regulations.

• Formal conformity - Font sizes, colors, and minimum dimensions meet the requirements of the underlying standards.

• Consistency - Information is aligned across type label, instruction manual, and packaging.

Who Needs Label Reviews?

Label reviews are relevant for a broad range of stakeholders, including:

• Manufacturers placing consumer products on the EU or EEA markets

• Importers and brand owners responsible for compliance of products sourced from third countries

• Companies managing artwork across multiple suppliers, factories, or product variants

• Businesses entering new EU or EEA markets with country-specific labelling requirements

• Retailers and distributors with legal obligations under market surveillance rules

For electrical and electronic products, QIMA's review templates, derived directly from the product standards, enable the fastest turnaround:

• Small household appliances

• Large household appliances

• Power tools

• Luminaires and lighting equipment

• Consumer electronics for private and professional use

• Other consumer product categories - for example toys, textiles, furniture, and food contact articles - are reviewed with individually built checklists, tailored to the regulations that apply to your product, with a clear timeline confirmed upfront.

What a Label Review Covers

QIMA reviews all three labelling carriers of your product:

• Type label (product marking)

• Instruction manual and user information

• Packaging labelling

The review covers the labelling requirements of key EU frameworks, including:

In addition, QIMA reviews customer-specific markings and the national requirements of all EU and EEA member states. Additional frameworks may apply depending on your product type - QIMA's experts identify which requirements apply to your specific product.

Italic caveat below table: REACH and CLP labelling requirements are not part of a label review and are offered as a separate service.

How Label Reviews Work with QIMA

Step 1 - Initial Consultation

Tell us about your product and target markets. QIMA's experts identify the labelling requirements applicable to your product category - you do not need to compile the regulatory scope yourself.

Step 2 - Artwork Submission

You submit print-ready artwork files (PDF) for all labelling carriers. A complete physical sample is recommended: dimensions and formats can only be conclusively assessed on the physical product. Photos are generally not sufficient.

Step 3 - Review

QIMA reviews your artwork against checklists derived directly from the applicable CENELEC and IEC standards and EU regulations. The checklists are reviewed and updated quarterly to reflect new standard editions and regulatory changes.

Step 4 - Review Report

You receive a structured report with an overall verdict - Pass, Fail, or Informative - and an individual rating for every requirement point. Critical deviations are color-coded and annotated, so they can be located and corrected quickly. The report is delivered as a signed, secured PDF, typically within five working days; faster turnaround is available on request, subject to capacity. For electrical and electronic products, review templates derived directly from the product standards enable the five working day standard; for all other consumer product categories, the review checklist is built individually for your product and your timeline is confirmed upfront.

Step 5 - Clarification and Re-Inspection

After delivery, you can raise clarification questions on the report. Once corrections are made, a re-inspection of the previously failed points verifies that your artwork is ready for market.

Why Choose QIMA for Label Reviews?

Checklists Built from the Standards Themselves

QIMA's review templates are derived directly from harmonized CENELEC and IEC standards and the labelling requirements of EU directives and regulations - and updated quarterly, so your labels are always reviewed against the current state of the rules.

Coverage Across All EU and EEA Member States

Labelling obligations do not stop at harmonized EU law. QIMA also reviews national requirements - including language obligations - across all EU and EEA member states, so one review covers your whole European footprint. And because QIMA reviews against the standards that apply in the markets you sell into, the same review extends beyond Europe, for example to the AS/NZS versions for Australia and New Zealand.

Clear, Actionable Review Reports

Every requirement point receives an individual verdict with color-coded annotations. The report is designed to be forwarded directly to your supplier or artwork agency, with a clear, specific list of what needs to be corrected.

Speed to Market

Standard reports are delivered within five working days of order confirmation. Express and same-day options are available on request, subject to capacity - so a label review never becomes the bottleneck before launch.

Integrated Compliance Services

Label reviews are one part of your compliance picture. QIMA also offers document checks, EMC testing, electrical safety (LVD) testing, technical documentation services, and global market access support - all from one partner.

Global Coverage

With laboratories and regulatory experts across Asia, Europe, and the Americas, QIMA delivers consistent compliance support for international brands managing supply chains across multiple regions.

Related Compliance Services

Label reviews are one component of a complete compliance setup. QIMA also offers:

• Document Checks - Review of test reports, declarations of conformity, technical files, and risk assessments against current market access requirements.

• EMC Testing - Accredited electromagnetic compatibility testing for electrical and electronic products entering regulated markets.

• Electrical Safety (LVD) Testing - Low Voltage Directive testing for products entering the EU market.

• RoHS & REACH Testing - Chemical compliance for electrical and electronic equipment.

• Technical Documentation Services - Creation, review, and translation of instruction manuals, labels, and packaging text.

Label Review FAQs

Q: What is the difference between a label review and a document check?

A label review verifies the physical markings on your product, instruction manual, and packaging against the legal requirements of each target market. A document check reviews your compliance documentation - test reports, declarations of conformity, risk assessments, and technical files. The two services address different compliance aspects and are often ordered together for full coverage.

Q: Can QIMA review labels from artwork files alone, or is a physical sample required?

Print-ready artwork files (PDF) enable an extensive review, including dimension measurement. A final conformity assessment of dimensions and formats, however, is only possible on a physical sample - which is why submitting one is recommended. Photos are generally not sufficient, as dimensions and formats cannot be reliably assessed from them.

Q: What happens if the review identifies deviations?

Every requirement point is rated individually. Critical deviations are marked as Fail with annotations that make them easy to locate and correct; minor irregularities are flagged as informative, without a mandatory correction. Once your artwork is corrected, a re-inspection covering the previously failed points confirms the corrections.

Q: How long does a label review take?

Review reports are typically delivered within five working days of order confirmation. Express and same-day options are available on request, subject to capacity.

Q: Which countries does a label review cover?

The review covers harmonized EU requirements as well as the national requirements of all EU and EEA member states, including language obligations. QIMA's experts identify which requirements apply to your product and target markets. Outside Europe, the review works to the standard versions that apply in your target markets, for example AS/NZS for Australia and New Zealand.

Q: Which product categories does a label review cover?

Every consumer product can be reviewed. For electrical and electronic products (household appliances, luminaires, batteries, IT and multimedia, power tools), review templates derived directly from the product standards enable the fastest turnaround, typically five working days. For all other consumer product categories, QIMA's experts build the review checklist individually from the regulations that apply to your product and confirm your timeline upfront.

Q: Does a label review cover REACH and CLP labelling requirements?

No. REACH and CLP labelling requirements are offered as a separate service. Speak to our team if your product requires chemical labelling review.

Ready to Start Your Label Review?

Get in touch with our team to discuss your product, target markets, and artwork. QIMA's experts will identify the applicable labelling requirements and verify your labels before customs and market surveillance do.