Thailand Proposes Digital Labelling for Bottled Water to Reduce Plastic Waste

On September 10, 2025, Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced major updates to its bottled water and beverage regulations. One of the most important changes is the introduction of voluntary digital labelling for drinking water in sealed containers under draft Notification No. 462 and natural mineral water under Notification No. 464. This move is part of Thailand’s broader effort to reduce plastic pollution and support sustainable packaging.

Unlike countries such as South Korea, Indonesia, and Singapore where digital labelling is mainly used to improve consumer access to product information—Thailand is the first in ASEAN to promote digital labelling specifically for environmental concerns. The label with chemicals, including adhesives and inks, usually makes it more difficult to process effective recycling. However, the scheme is purely voluntary—companies can choose to adopt digital labelling or continue using conventional printed labels.