Shanghai orders alcohol warning labels across stores and websites

Shanghai’s health authorities are moving ahead with a pilot program that requires alcohol warning labels across the city’s online and offline sales channels, part of a broader effort to push public awareness about drinking risks and standardize how alcoholic beverages are presented to consumers.

The Shanghai Municipal Health Commission first announced the plan in December 2025 and has since expanded guidance for retailers, restaurants, entertainment venues and e-commerce sellers. The rules apply to all alcoholic beverages with an alcohol content above 0.5% by volume, according to the commission’s formal documentation. Officials said the labels are meant to align with the Shanghai National Nutrition Plan and the Healthy Shanghai Action Plan, both of which run from 2019-2030.

The commission has said the warning signs must be easy to see and placed where customers are most likely to notice them before buying. For physical stores, that means signs should be positioned at roughly eye level, with the bottom edge at least 120cm from the ground if mounted on a wall or similar surface. The guidance says at least one sign should appear at each cashier, order counter, alcoholic beverage shelf, open freezer area, closed refrigerator area, vending machine area and promotional area.

That requirement means businesses cannot rely on a single notice posted on a menu or near a register. The commission’s aim is to make the warnings immediate and effective for shoppers making purchase decisions in person.

Online sellers face similar obligations. The commission said electronic warning signs must appear in prominent places such as beverage menus, main sales pages and product introduction pages. At least one sign must be visible in each of those locations, and the font size cannot be smaller than the product branding on the same page. The warning also must be clearly readable to people with normal vision.

The physical design rules are specific. Horizontal signs must measure at least 210mm by 70mm, while vertical signs must be at least 210mm by 300mm. If sellers change the size, they must keep the proportions intact. The guidelines say the ratio should remain 3:1 for horizontal labels and 0.7:1 for vertical labels.

The commission also set out what the labels must contain. They must be rectangular and include a triangular warning symbol with a wine bottle image and text indicating “Alcohol content > 0.5% vol.” The warning text must use Source Han Sans 思源黑体, and the overall label size ratio should be 1:1. The required text includes two lines: “Drink in moderation and avoid excessive drinking, as excessive drinking is harmful to your health” and “Minors, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers should not drink alcohol.” The approved colors are red and black.

Officials also said sellers are responsible for keeping the signs in good condition. Any label that is dirtied, damaged, detached or obscured must be promptly replaced or maintained. The displayed warning cannot be split, rotated, deformed or distorted.

The pilot comes as alcohol sales continue to shift online in China’s largest city, where regulators have been tightening oversight of consumer health messaging across retail channels. Shanghai’s health commission has framed the label trial as part of a longer-term public health strategy rather than a temporary campaign, signaling that alcohol warnings may become a more permanent feature of how drinks are sold in one of China’s most important consumer markets.