Cosmetics Labelling in Russia in 2026: What to Check Before Import

The shipment has been produced, the labels approved, and the goods are already moving from Korea. Then the importer discovers that some SKUs require mandatory labelling and no codes have been applied. A regular warehouse in Russia cannot fix this after customs release.

At K-Business, we handle this chain ourselves: we review the assortment, prepare product cards, order codes, control application, and place the goods into circulation. Over seven years, the company has organised more than 120 shipments; as of 14 July 2026, K-Business had received no fines related to foreign trade or mandatory labelling. This record describes completed shipments. Every new shipment still has to be checked against current rules and documents.

Labelling is checked SKU by SKU

“All cosmetics require labelling” sounds convenient, but it is not a workable rule. Applicability depends on four elements:

• the EAEU HS code;
• the Russian OKPD2 product code;
• the product description and intended use;
• exclusions in the applicable rules.

Perfume under HS code 3303, for example, belongs to a separate product group. There are also exclusions within codes 3304, 3306 and 3307. The importer therefore checks each product, not the category name in the supplier’s price list.

The exact codes and exclusions are set out in Government Resolution No. 1681 and summarised in the current labelling stages.

Mandatory labelling was introduced in stages

Goods produced or imported into Russia before the mandatory date for their product group may, in some cases, be sold without codes until expiry. New shipments follow the rules currently in force, the production date, and the date on which the specific shipment enters Russia.

For shipments from Korea, Data Matrix is applied before customs release

The Republic of Korea is not an EAEU member. If an SKU is subject to labelling, every consumer package must be marked before the goods are placed under the customs procedure for release for domestic consumption.

The working sequence is:

1. Check the SKU by EAEU HS code, OKPD2 code, description, and exclusions.
2. Obtain a GTIN and prepare the product card in the National Catalogue.
3. Order the labelling codes.
4. Send the codes to the manufacturer or arrange application in an authorised customs area.
5. File the declaration and obtain customs release.
6. Place the goods into circulation in GIS MT after release.
7. Transfer the goods to the client with the documents required for the specific transaction.

A regular Russian warehouse after customs release cannot apply codes that were required before the customs procedure. A location in Russia works only under a customs regime that permits labelling before release for domestic consumption. This follows from the official procedure for imports from outside the EAEU.

Product cards are where schedules can slip

The National Catalogue card links a GTIN to a specific product. The product name, manufacturer, country of origin, classification codes, and characteristics must match the shipment documents.

Automated moderation is available. Some data or images may still require review, and a card with inconsistencies can be returned for correction. It is therefore wrong to promise instant approval or to state that every card is always checked manually.

At K-Business, some cards took 3–7 business days to process. That is our practical experience, not an official Chestny ZNAK deadline. We allow for this before the shipment arrives so that product cards and codes do not delay the customs stage.

Before submitting a card, we compare:

• the HS code with the shipment documents;
• country of origin and manufacturer;
• product name and description;
• the characteristics of the specific SKU;
• permits and conformity documents when required for the transaction.

Goods enter circulation after customs release

The importer places labelled goods into circulation after customs release but before offering them for sale. New imports after the mandatory labelling start date use the Import with Federal Customs Service scenario.

The next documents depend on the transaction and the current reporting stage. When the rules require data transfer through a universal transfer document, the parties issue it electronically. In deliveries where K-Business is responsible for import and labelling, we complete these stages before handing the goods to the client.

The buyer still has obligations after transfer: accepting the documents, reporting the next movement, and submitting retail sale data. The exact boundary depends on the contract and supply model.

Retail sales have been reported through cash registers since 1 July 2026

From 1 July 2026, the cash register scans the code when labelled cosmetics are sold at retail and reports the product’s withdrawal from circulation.

For other transactions, volume-and-variety accounting remains in place through 30 June 2030: documents report the GTIN and product quantity. Full unit-level traceability across the chain starts on 1 July 2030. The former 2028 date is no longer current.

The penalty depends on the actual violation

The circulation of unlabelled goods that are subject to mandatory labelling can result in fines and confiscation. Chestny ZNAK’s summary lists fines of RUB 5,000–10,000 for officials and RUB 50,000–300,000 for legal entities.

This is not a single tariff for every error in a product card or document. The elements of the offence, the participant’s status, and the circumstances matter.

From 1 September 2026, certain offences can be recorded automatically, including the sale of expired labelled goods after a system warning. The earlier claim that automatic fines would apply to all labelled products from 1 July 2026 is outdated.

Marketplaces check product cards; SPOT checks the import route

From 1 October 2026, intermediary digital platforms check the product information required by law against government systems. The procedure is set out in Russian Government Resolution No. 821. This does not mean checking the Data Matrix on every physical unit before a listing goes live. Product-card validation and code validation during circulation are different processes.

SPOT started on 1 June 2026 with a transition period for goods entering Russia by road from other EAEU member states. The full regime, including the mandatory security payment and refusal of entry for a vehicle without a QR code, has applied since 1 July 2026; shipments from Belarus remain exempt from the payment until 1 November 2026. A direct sea or air shipment from Korea is outside this scenario, but SPOT must be considered when goods enter Russia through an EAEU state by road. See our separate guide to SPOT for cosmetics importers.

What to check before ordering a shipment

Before paying for production, collect the following for each SKU:

• product name and intended use;
• GTIN;
• EAEU HS and OKPD2 codes;
• composition and characteristics for borderline products;
• the production date and planned date of entry into Russia;
• the import route;
• the code-application plan;
• National Catalogue card status.

The facts and dates in this article were checked on 15 July 2026. They should be verified against the current rules before the next shipment.