Quick summary
- Appendix I of Decree 37/2026/ND-CP lists 69 groups of goods and the separate mandatory content that must be shown on the label of each group.
- Legal basis: point d, clause 1, Article 42: labels of goods circulated in Vietnam must show the name of the goods, the name and address of the responsible organization or individual, the origin – and other contents according to the nature of each type of goods as specified in Appendix I.
- Appendix I sets out what additional content must be shown; how to show it is set out in Appendix II (quantity), III (date of production and expiry date), IV (ingredients) and V (technical specifications, warnings).
- Goods that belong to several groups are identified by the business itself according to the main use (Clause 1, Article 42).
- Some groups require only the year of production, some require the month and year of production, and some require the full date, month and year of production – missing a time mark is the most common error when printing labels.
- Appendix I is not the medium/high-risk product list: they are two independent systems, so do not confuse them when preparing documents.
- Labels of goods circulated in Vietnam must be in Vietnamese; imported goods must carry a Vietnamese supplementary label before being placed on the market.
- The full table of 69 groups is arranged by 10 sectors for quick lookup below.
1. What Appendix I is and where it sits in Decree 37/2026/ND-CP
The full name of Appendix I is “Other mandatory contents must be shown on the goods label according to the nature of each type of goods”, issued together with Decree No. 37/2026/ND-CP dated January 23, 2026 of the Government. In form, it is a three-column table (No. – Name of commodity group – Required content) with 69 rows, corresponding to 69 different commodity groups.
Key points: Appendix I does not regulate the three basic mandatory contents (name of goods; name and address of responsible organization or individual; origin) – these three contents are located at Points a, b, c, Clause 1, Article 42 and are detailed in Articles 43, 44 and 47. Appendix I is the fourth layer: the list “additionally recorded according to the nature of goods”, under point d, clause 1, Article 42.
The Decree also sets a very pragmatic handling principle: if the goods belong to many groups in Appendix I and not yet stipulated in other legal documents, the organization or individual responsible for the goods must identify the group themselves, based on the main use, and record the corresponding content.
A commonly confused point: Appendix I sets label requirements, it is not the risk-based management list. Products listed in Appendix I are not necessarily at medium or high risk under Article 5 and Appendix VI. On the contrary, a high-risk product still has to be looked up in Appendix I to know what the label must state. The two sets of rules are independent, and doing them in the wrong order wastes time.
2. Three layers of mandatory content on a goods label
Before looking at Appendix I, you should picture the label under Decree 37/2026/ND-CP as having three layers of content. Recording only layer 1 leaves content out; recording layer 3 while omitting layer 2 is the wrong approach.
| Layer | Required content | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| 1 – General content | Name of goods; Name and address of the organization or individual responsible for the goods; Origin of goods | Article 42(1) a, b, c – Articles 43, 44, 47 |
| 2 – Group-specific content according to the nature of the goods | Quantity; date/month/year of production; expiry date; ingredients; technical specifications; warning information; Instructions for use and storage; circulation number; Product code… (depending on group) | Article 42(1)(d) + Appendix I + related legal regulations |
| 3 – How to show the details | How to show the quantity; how to show the date of production, expiry date and other time marks; how to show ingredients and ingredient quantities; how to show technical specifications and warning information | Appendices II, III, IV and V (Articles 45–49) |
In other words: Appendix I answers the question “what to show”, Appendices II–V answer the question “how to show it”. For example, Appendix I requires the “Food” group to show a quantity and an expiry date; which unit the quantity is shown in and which format the expiry date uses are matters for Appendices II and III.
3. Lookup table of 69 groups of goods across 10 sectors
Below are all 69 groups of Appendix I, in the same order and with the same content as the Decree, grouped by sector for quick reference:
- Sector I – Food grains, food, beverages and tobacco: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 67, 68
- Sector II – Medicines, medical devices and cosmetics: No. 12–14 (3 groups)
- Sector III – Agriculture, livestock, fisheries and agricultural inputs: 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 44, 56
- Sector IV – Consumer goods, light industry and handicrafts: No. 24–35 (12 groups)
- Sector V – Precious metals, jewelry and gemstones: 36, 37, 38, 69
- Sector VI – Electrical, electronic, postal and telecommunications equipment, machinery: 39, 40, 41, 42, 63
- Sector VII – Metals and construction materials: 43, 52
- Sector VIII – Vehicles, spare parts and helmets: 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 65, 66
- Sector IX – Chemicals, petroleum products, detergents and industrial explosives: 15, 53, 54, 55, 57
- Sector X – Personal care, sanitary products and food packaging: 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 64
Note: the “Required content” column follows the Decree text, including the phrases “(if any)”. “No.” is the group number in Appendix I.
Sector I – Food grains, food, beverages and tobacco (13 groups)
| No. | Group of goods (per Appendix I) | Required content to be shown on the label |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Food | a) Quantity; b) Date, month and year of production; c) Expiry date; d) Warning information (if any). |
| 2 | Food | a) Quantity; b) Date, month and year of production; c) Expiry date/best-before date…; d) Ingredients or ingredient quantities; nutritional ingredients, nutritional value (if any); The content, method of recording nutritional ingredients, nutritional value and implementation roadmap follow the instructions of the Minister of Health; e) Warning information; f) Instructions for use and storage. |
| 3 | Health-protecting food | a) Quantity; b) Date, month and year of production; c) Expiry date; d) Ingredients, quantitative ingredients (quantitative ingredients do not apply to food additives and processing aids) or nutritional value; e) Instructions for use and storage: Uses, users, how to use; f) Announce warnings about risks (if any); g) Show the phrase: “Health-protecting food”; h) Show the phrase: “This product is not a medicine and cannot replace medicine.” |
| 4 | Irradiated food | a) Quantity; b) Date, month and year of production; c) Expiry date; d) Ingredients or ingredient quantities; e) Warning information; f) Show the phrase: “Irradiated food”. |
| 5 | Genetically modified foods | a) Quantity; b) Date, month and year of production; c) Expiry date; d) Ingredients or ingredient quantities; e) Warning information; f) Show the phrase: “Genetically modified food” or “genetically modified” next to the name of the genetically modified ingredient along with the content (applicable in the case of food containing genetically modified organisms, products of genetically modified organisms with at least one genetically modified ingredient greater than five percent (5%) of the total raw materials used to produce food). |
| 6 | Drinks (except alcohol) | a) Quantity; b) Date, month and year of production; c) Expiry date; d) Ingredients or ingredient quantities; e) Warning information; f) Instructions for use and storage. |
| 7 | Alcoholic beverages | a) Quantity; b) Ethanol content; c) Expiry date (if any); d) Storage instructions (for wine); e) Warning information (if any); f) Batch identification code (if any). |
| 8 | Tobacco | a) Quantity; b) Date, month and year of production; c) Warning information; d) Expiry date; e) Codes and barcodes. |
| 9 | Food additives, food processing aids | a) Quantity; b) Date, month and year of production; c) Expiry date; d) Ingredients; e) Instructions for use and storage; f) Show the phrase: “Food additives” for the food additive group; g) Show the phrase: “Food processing aids” for the group of food processing aids; h) Information and warnings (if any). |
| 10 | Micronutrients | a) Quantity; b) Date, month and year of production; c) Ingredients; d) Instructions for use and storage; e) Show the phrase: “Used for food”. |
| 11 | Food ingredients | a) Name of raw material; b) Quantity; c) Date, month and year of production; d) Expiry date; e) Instructions for use and storage. |
| 67 | Food supplements, medical nutrition foods, foods for special diets | a) Quantity; b) Date, month and year of production; c) Expiry date; d) Ingredients, quantitative ingredients of added substances (or nutritional value); e) Warning information (if any); f) Instructions for use and storage (if any); g) Announce health recommendations (if any); h) Food supplements must have the phrase: “Food supplements”; i) Medical nutritional foods must have the phrase “Medical nutritional foods” and “used for patients under the supervision of medical staff”; j) Foods used for special diets must have the phrase “Nutritional products (for specific subjects)” written on them. |
| 68 | Insecticidal and antibacterial products used in household and medical fields | a) Quantity; b) Date, month and year of production; c) Expiry date; d) Ingredients and active ingredient content; e) Production batch number; f) Registration number for circulation in Vietnam; g) Warning information; h) Instructions for use; i) Storage instructions; j) Disposal instructions; k) Warning diagram according to GHS; l) Name and address of the manufacturing unit; m) Name, address, phone number of the unit registering for circulation. |
Sector II – Medicines, medical devices and cosmetics (3 groups)
| No. | Group of goods (per Appendix I) | Required content to be shown on the label |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | Medicines and medicinal ingredients for human use | a) Name of medicine or medicinal ingredient; b) Dosage form, except medicinal ingredients; c) Ingredients, content, concentration or volume of active ingredients or medicinal ingredients of drugs or medicinal ingredients; Labels of traditional medicines on the List of State Secrets and of traditional medicines are allowed not to show some medicinal ingredients, content, and volume of medicinal herbs and must have the words “Drug production formula is a state secret” or “Drug production formula is a family secret”; d) Packaging specifications; e) Name and address of the manufacturing facility; f) Name and address of the import facility for imported drugs and medicinal ingredients; g) Circulation registration number or import license number; production batch number; date, month, year of production; h) Expiry date of drugs and medicinal ingredients; i) Storage conditions and other necessary information according to regulations. |
| 13 | Medical equipment | a) Circulation number or license number for import of medical equipment; b) Batch number or serial number of medical equipment; c) Date, month and year of production; Expiry date: Sterilized, single-use medical equipment, reagents, calibrators, control materials, and chemicals must have an expiry date. In other cases, write the date of production or expiry date; For medical equipment, machinery and equipment, record the year of production or month and year of production; d) Warning information, instructions for use, storage instructions, warranty basis: Can be shown directly on the medical equipment label or clearly state instructions for looking up this information on the medical equipment label. |
| 14 | Cosmetics | a) Quantity; b) Ingredients or ingredient quantities; c) Production batch number; d) Date, month, year of production or expiry date/expiry date; e) For products with stability of less than 30 months, the expiry date is required; f) Instructions for use unless the presentation clearly shows how to use the product; g) Information and warnings. |
Sector III – Agriculture, livestock, fisheries and agricultural inputs (10 groups)
| No. | Group of goods (per Appendix I) | Required content to be shown on the label |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | Animal feed | a) Quantity; b) Date, month and year of production; c) Expiry date; d) Ingredient quantities; e) Instructions for use and storage; f) Warning information (if any). |
| 17 | Veterinary drugs, vaccines, biological products used in veterinary medicine | a) Quantity; b) Date, month and year of production; c) Expiry date; d) Ingredient quantities; e) Instructions for use and storage; f) Warning information. |
| 18 | Fishery products used as food | a) Quantity; b) Date, month and year of production; c) Expiry date; d) Ingredient quantities; e) Instructions for use and storage; f) Warning information (if any); g) Phone number (if any). |
| 19 | Biological products, microorganisms, chemicals, environmental treatment substances in aquaculture | a) Quantity; b) Date, month and year of production; c) Expiry date; d) Ingredient quantities; e) Instructions for use and storage; f) Warning information (if any); g) Phone number (if any). |
| 20 | Plant protection drugs | a) Quantity; b) Date, month and year of production; c) Expiry date; d) Ingredients content; e) Warning information; f) Instructions for use and storage. |
| 21 | Plant varieties | a) Name of plant variety; b) Variety certification according to national technical regulations, national standards and basic standards; c) Characteristics of the variety; d) Instructions for storage and use; e) Safety warning information; f) Quantity of plant variety; g) Date, month and year of production; expiry date; h) Name and address of the organization producing and importing plant varieties; i) Plant variety circulation code (if any); j) Origin of plant variety; k) Seed batch code; l) Information about genetically modified plant varieties (if any). |
| 22 | Livestock breeds | a) Quantity; b) Date, month and year of production; c) Expiry date; d) Instructions for use and storage; e) Warning information (if any). |
| 23 | Aquatic varieties | a) Aquatic breed name (including commercial name and scientific name); b) Name and address of the production and nursery facility; c) Number of aquatic breeds; d) Quality criteria according to applicable published standards; e) Date of sale; f) Expiry date (if any); g) Instructions for transportation, storage and use; h) Phone number (if any). |
| 44 | Fishing gear | a) Ingredients; b) Technical specifications; c) Warning information (if any); d) Phone number (if any). |
| 56 | Fertilizer | a) Type of fertilizer; b) Fertilizer code; c) Method of use; d) Quantity; e) Date, month and year of production; f) Expiry date; g) Ingredients or ingredient quantities; h) Warning information; i) Instructions for use and storage; j) For foliar fertilizers, the phrase “Foliar fertilizer” must be clearly stated. |
Sector IV – Consumer goods, light industry and handicrafts (12 groups)
| No. | Group of goods (per Appendix I) | Required content to be shown on the label |
|---|---|---|
| 24 | Children’s toys | a) Ingredients; b) Technical specifications; c) Warning information; d) Instructions for use; e) Year of production. |
| 25 | Textile, garment, leather and shoe products | a) Ingredients or ingredient quantities; b) Technical specifications; c) Warning information; d) Instructions for use and storage; e) Year of production. |
| 26 | Plastic and rubber products | a) Quantity; b) Month and year of production; c) Ingredients; d) Technical specifications; e) Warning information. |
| 27 | Paper and cardboard products | a) Quantity; b) Month and year of production; c) Technical specifications; d) Warning information. |
| 28 | Teaching aids, school supplies, stationery | a) Quantity; b) Technical specifications; c) Warning information. |
| 29 | Political, economic, cultural, scientific, educational, literary, artistic, religious publications | a) Publishing house (Producer), printing house; b) Name of author and translator; c) Publishing license; d) Technical specifications (format, size, number of pages); e) Warning information (if any). |
| 30 | Musical instruments | a) Technical specifications; b) Warning information (if any). |
| 31 | Sports equipment, sports exercise machines | a) Quantity; b) Date, month and year of production; c) Ingredients; d) Technical specifications; e) Instructions for use; f) Warning information (if any). |
| 32 | Wooden furniture | a) Ingredients; b) Technical specifications; c) Instructions for use and storage; d) Warning information (if any). |
| 33 | Ceramic, porcelain and glass products | a) Ingredients; b) Technical specifications; c) Instructions for use and storage; d) Warning information (if any). |
| 34 | Handicrafts | a) Ingredients; b) Technical specifications; c) Instructions for use and storage; d) Warning information (if any). |
| 35 | Household appliances, household appliances (non-electric) | a) Ingredients; b) Technical specifications; c) Instructions for use and storage; d) Warning information (if any). |
Sector V – Precious metals, jewelry and gemstones (4 groups)
| No. | Group of goods (per Appendix I) | Required content to be shown on the label |
|---|---|---|
| 36 | Silver bars | a) Quantity; b) Ingredient quantities; c) Warning information (if any). |
| 37 | Gemstones | a) Quantity; b) Technical specifications; c) Warning information (if any). |
| 38 | Gold jewelry and fine art | a) Gold content; b) Mass; c) Weight of the mounted object (if any); d) Product code; e) Warning information (if any). |
| 69 | Gold bars | a) Gold content; b) Mass; c) Product code; d) Warning information (if any). |
Sector VI – Electrical, electronic, postal and telecommunications equipment, machinery (5 groups)
| No. | Group of goods (per Appendix I) | Required content to be shown on the label |
|---|---|---|
| 39 | Labor protection equipment, fire prevention and fighting | a) Quantity; b) Date, month and year of production; c) Expiry date; d) Ingredients; e) Technical specifications; f) Warning information; g) Instructions for use and storage. |
| 40 | Postal equipment, telecommunications, information technology, network information security, electricity, electronics, and information technology products are refurbished and renewed. | a) Year of production; b) Technical specifications; c) Warning information; d) Instructions for use and storage; e) For information technology products that are refurbished or renewed, it must be clearly stated in Vietnamese as “new refurbished product” or in English with equivalent meaning. |
| 41 | Machinery and mechanical equipment | a) Quantity; b) Month and year of production; c) Technical specifications; d) Safety warning information; e) Instructions for use and storage. |
| 42 | Machinery, measuring and testing equipment | a) Quantity; b) Month and year of production; c) Technical specifications; d) Warning information; e) Instructions for use and storage. |
| 63 | Beauty devices and tools | a) Technical specifications; b) Instructions for use; c) Warning information (if any); d) Year of production. |
Sector VII – Metals and construction materials (2 groups)
| No. | Group of goods (per Appendix I) | Required content to be shown on the label |
|---|---|---|
| 43 | Metal products | a) Quantity; b) Ingredient quantities; c) Technical specifications. |
| 52 | Construction materials and interior decoration | a) Quantity; b) Technical specifications; c) Month and year of production; d) Instructions for use and storage; e) Warning information (if any). |
Sector VIII – Vehicles, spare parts and helmets (9 groups)
| No. | Group of goods (per Appendix I) | Required content to be shown on the label |
|---|---|---|
| 45 | Car | a) Manufacturer’s name; b) Brand, trade name (Commercial name), type code (Model code); c) Chassis number or VIN number; d) Kerb weight; e) Number of people allowed to carry (for passenger vehicles); f) Total design mass; g) Type-approval certificate number – for domestically produced and assembled vehicles; h) Year of production; i) Warning information (if any). |
| 46 | Trailers, semi-trailers | a) Manufacturer’s name; b) Trademark, commercial name, model code; c) Chassis number or VIN number; d) Kerb weight; e) Total design mass; f) Type-approval certificate number – for domestically produced and assembled vehicles; g) Year of production; h) Warning information (if any). |
| 47 | Motorcycles, motorbikes | a) Manufacturer’s name; b) Brand, trade name (Commercial name), type code (Model code); c) Frame number; d) Kerb weight; e) Cylinder capacity; f) Type-approval certificate number – for domestically produced and assembled vehicles; g) Year of production; h) Warning information (if any). |
| 48 | Specialized motorbikes | a) Manufacturer’s name; b) Brand, trade name (Commercial name), type code (Model code); c) Frame number; d) Typical technical specifications; e) Year of production; f) Warning information (if any). |
| 49 | Four-wheeled passenger vehicle with a motor | a) Manufacturer’s name; b) Brand, trade name (Commercial name), type code (Model code); c) Kerb weight; d) Number of people allowed to carry; e) Total design mass; f) Chassis number or VIN number; g) Type-approval certificate number – for domestically produced and assembled vehicles; h) Year of production; i) Warning information (if any). |
| 50 | Bicycle | a) Manufacturer’s name; b) Year of production; c) Basic technical specifications; d) Warning information (if any). |
| 51 | Spare parts for vehicles | a) Trademark, commercial name, model code (if any); b) Part number; c) Year of production (if any); d) Technical specifications (if any); e) Information and warnings (if any). |
| 65 | Helmets for motorcyclists, mopeds, electric bicycles, electric motorbikes, and motorized bicycles (referred to as helmets) | a) Hat size; b) Month and year of production; c) Type (model); d) Quantity; e) Instructions for use; f) Warning information (if any). |
| 66 | Electric bicycles, electric motorbikes, motorized bicycles | a) Trademark; b) Model Type; c) Kerb weight; d) Technical specifications; e) Year of production; f) Instructions for use; g) Warning information (if any). |
Sector IX – Chemicals, petroleum products, detergents and industrial explosives (5 groups)
| No. | Group of goods (per Appendix I) | Required content to be shown on the label |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Household chemicals | a) Quantity; b) Date, month and year of production; c) Expiry date; d) Ingredients or active ingredient content; e) Production batch number; f) Registration number for circulation in Vietnam (applicable to goods that are household chemicals that must carry out circulation registration procedures according to specialized laws); g) Warning information; h) Instructions for use and storage. |
| 53 | Petroleum products | a) Quantity; b) Ingredients; c) Information and warnings; d) Instructions for use and storage, d) Product batch number. |
| 54 | Household cleaning, fabric softener, deodorizing and fragrance products | a) Quantity; b) Month and year of production; c) Ingredients or ingredient quantities; d) Information and warnings; e) Instructions for use. |
| 55 | Chemicals | a) Quantity; b) Date, month and year of production; c) Expiry date (if any); d) Ingredients or ingredient quantities; e) Chemical identification code (if any); f) Warning pictures, warning words, hazard warnings (if any); g) Preventive measures (if any); h) Instructions for use and storage. |
| 57 | Industrial explosives | a) Quantity; b) Date, month and year of production; c) Expiry date; d) Ingredients or ingredient quantities; e) Warning information; f) Instructions for use and storage. |
Sector X – Personal care, sanitary products and food packaging (6 groups)
| No. | Group of goods (per Appendix I) | Required content to be shown on the label |
|---|---|---|
| 58 | Eyewear (spectacles) | a) Ingredients; b) Technical specifications; c) Warning information (if any); d) Instructions for use. |
| 59 | Clocks and watches | a) Ingredients; b) Technical specifications; c) Warning information (if any); d) Instructions for use. |
| 60 | Diapers, sanitary napkins, masks, makeup remover cotton, ear cleaning cotton, toilet paper | a) Ingredients; b) Technical specifications; c) Instructions for use; d) Warning information (if any); e) Month and year of production; f) Expiry date. |
| 61 | Toothbrush | a) Ingredients; b) Technical specifications; c) Instructions for use; d) Warning information (if any); e) Month and year of production. |
| 62 | Wet wipes | a) Ingredients; b) Technical specifications; c) Instructions for use; d) Warning information (if any); e) Date, month and year of production; f) Expiry date. |
| 64 | Food-contact tools and packaging materials | a) Ingredients; b) Technical specifications; c) Instructions for use; d) Warning information (if any). |
4. Goods falling into several groups: determining the group by the main use
Clause 1, Article 42 allows a business to identify the group of goods itself on the basis of the main use where the goods have the characteristics of several groups and no other legal document governs the matter. This is a regulation that helps businesses be autonomous, but it is also the place that is most likely to be questioned during inspection. Practical principle: prioritize the main use that consumers perceive, and keep it consistent with the product’s announcement/registration dossier.
| Practical case | Appendix I group and reasoning |
|---|---|
| Electric kettle, rice cooker, electric fan | Group 40 (electrical, electronic). Group 35 covers only household electrical appliances that do not use electricity – The brackets “(not using electricity)” in the Decree are to distinguish these two groups. |
| Medical masks have circulation numbers | Group 13 (medical devices): must have circulation number or import licence number, batch/serial number, expiry date. Regular masks (not medical equipment) are in group 60, with the month and year of production and the expiry date. |
| Food supplements, foods for special diets | Group 67: In addition to quantity, date of production, expiry date, and ingredients, it must also show the required wording, such as “Food supplements”, “Medical nutritional foods” or “Nutritional products (for specific subjects)”. |
| Electric bicycles, electric motorbikes | Group 66: brand, model type, self-weight (self-weight), technical specifications, year of production, instructions for use, warnings. Unlike cars and motorcycles (groups 45 and 47), no chassis number or VIN number is required. |
| Helmets sold with electric bicycles | Group 65 (helmet): helmet size, year of production, helmet type (model), quantity, instructions for use, warnings. |
| Plastic food containers, food wrap | Group 64 (tools, food packaging materials) if in direct contact with food; If it is a regular plastic product, then by group 26. |
| Gold jewelry with precious stones | Gold in groups 38 (content, volume, weight of attachment, product code); gems in groups 37. |
Practitioner’s note: Record the basis for the group determination (main use, technical documents, announcement dossier) in the internal quality record. When the inspection agency asks questions, a short explanation with documents will be much faster than an on-the-spot argument.
5. Seven common mistakes when using Appendix I
1. Recording only the three general contents and omitting the specific-content layer. This is the most common error with imported goods: the original label shows the name of the goods, origin and manufacturer, the Vietnamese supplementary label correctly translates those three contents – but lacks the expiry date, ingredients or warning information required by Appendix I.
2. Mixing up the time marks. The Decree distinguishes three levels: date, month, year of production; month and year of production; and year of production. There are currently 28 groups requiring the date, month and year of production; 9 groups require only the month and year (Nos. 26, 27, 41, 42, 52, 54, 60, 61, 65); 12 groups require only the year of production (Nos. 24, 25, 40, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 63, 66). For medical devices (group 13), the year of production or the month and year of production may be recorded depending on the type of machinery and equipment. Over-recording is generally accepted, but under-recording is an error.
3. Omitting mandatory wording. Some groups ask for more than just “information” – they require the exact words, for example, group 67 (food supplements) or group 40 (refurbished or renewed information technology products must clearly state “refurbished and new products”). A loose paraphrase will not pass.
4. Confusing Appendix I with the medium/high-risk product list. The two lists serve different purposes: one governs the label, the other the declaration of conformity and import inspection.
5. Confusing Appendix I with energy labeling or specialized regulations. Point d, Clause 1, Article 42 also mentions “relevant legal regulations” – meaning that in addition to Appendix I, businesses must still comply with technical regulations, regulations on energy labels, and specialized regulations of the management ministry.
6. Ignoring the Vietnamese-language requirement and supplementary labels. Labels of goods circulated in Vietnam must be in Vietnamese; imported goods must carry a Vietnamese supplementary label before being placed on the market. Personal names and place names cannot be abbreviated.
7. Using labels designed under Decree 43/2017/ND-CP. Decree 43/2017/ND-CP and Decree 111/2021/ND-CP expire on July 1, 2026; labels printed under the old rules must be reviewed and compared with Chapter IV and Appendices I–V of Decree 37/2026/ND-CP.
6. Ten-point checklist before printing a label
- Determine the group of goods in Appendix I by the main use, and record the basis.
- Check the three general contents: name of goods; name and address of responsible organization or individual; origin.
- Compare the group-specific content: quantity, time marks, ingredients, technical specifications, warnings, instructions for use/storage.
- Check the correct time marks: day – month – year, or only month – year, or only year.
- Review the mandatory wording (if the group requires it).
- Check recording method according to Appendices II–V (quantitative units, date format, how to record quantitative ingredients).
- Check the label size, font size, character size and text color under Articles 37 and 38.
- Check the language: Vietnamese is mandatory; do imported goods carry a supplementary label?
- Check the accompanying specialized regulations (technical regulations, energy labels, regulations of industry management ministries).
- Keep the labeling dossier (design files, group justification, technical documents) to present on inspection.
7. Frequently asked questions
How many commodity groups are there in Appendix I?
69 groups, numbered from 1 (Food) to 69 (Gold bars).
If my product is not in Appendix I, how should it be labeled?
The three general contents under Clause 1, Article 42 still have to be ensured, along with the requirements of specialized laws. If the product has characteristics similar to a listed group, it should be labeled according to that group for legal safety.
If goods belong to two groups, must both sets of contents be recorded?
There is no requirement to record both sets. Clause 1, Article 42 allows the group to be identified on the basis of the main use; if specialized regulations have specific requirements, the specialized regulations will apply.
My group requires “warning information (if any)” – if there is no warning, what should be recorded?
The phrase “(if any)” means to only record when the goods actually have warning content. However, if the product carries a safety risk (heat, electricity, chemicals, children) and the warning is omitted, the legal risk falls on the business.
Is Appendix I a high-risk product category?
No. Medium and high-risk are determined under Articles 4 and 5 and Appendix VI, and serve the declaration of conformity and import inspection.
Are exported goods subject to Appendix I?
Exported goods labels comply with the regulations of the importing country, international contracts and treaties, and must still comply with limits on permitted and prohibited content displayed on labels.
Imported goods already have foreign labels, do they have to be re-labeled?
The original label does not have to be redone, but a Vietnamese supplementary label must be added, with all general and group-specific contents required by Appendix I, before the goods are released into circulation.
After looking at Appendix I, what should I look up next?
Look up Appendix II (how quantity is shown), Appendix III (date of production, expiry date), Appendix IV (ingredients) and Appendix V (technical specifications, warnings) – and check whether the goods are on the medium/high-risk product list.
8. Printable/PDF lookup sheet and internal links
We have packaged the full 69-group table into a PDF lookup sheet for printing and internal use (plus a Word version for editing if needed).
- Download the Appendix I lookup sheet (PDF): download the PDF (21 pages) – Word version for editing
Read more in the article series on Decree 37/2026/ND-CP:
- Decree 37/2026/ND-CP: overview of 8 chapters, 99 articles, 7 appendices and 16 forms
- Appointing a conformity assessment organization under Decree 37/2026/ND-CP: conditions, documents and procedures
This article was prepared from the copy of Decree 37/2026/ND-CP provided by the enterprise; the number, date of issuance and effective date follow the official gazette text. The content is for technical reference only and does not replace legal advice for each specific case.
Conclusion
Appendix I is the daily working document of any business bringing goods to the Vietnamese market: with only 69 lines, it determines what additional content must be recorded on the label of each product group in addition to the three general contents of product name, responsible organization and origin. The practical value of Appendix I does not lie in its complexity, but in the fact that it forces businesses to answer a very specific question: which group their products belong to.
Experience from label reviews shows that most errors do not come from businesses intentionally making mistakes, but from three blind spots: identifying groups by gut feeling instead of the main use; the wrong time-mark level (day – month – year, month – year, or just year of production); and omitting mandatory wording that the Decree requires verbatim. These three blind spots can all be addressed with an internal cross-check table, updated whenever a new product is added.
On timing, businesses need to remember two milestones: the old rules on goods labels (Decree 43/2017/ND-CP and Decree 111/2021/ND-CP) expire on the same day Decree 37/2026/ND-CP takes effect, and labels and packaging printed under the old rules may be used for a maximum of 02 years from January 23, 2026. Checking labels before the packaging is used up is always cheaper than dealing with goods that are detained or required to be remedied.
References
The documents below are the basis of this article; readers should look up the official version on the Government Electronic Information Portal (vanban.chinhphu.vn) and the Electronic Information Portal of the Ministry of Science and Technology (most.gov.vn).
- Decree No. 37/2026/ND-CP dated January 23, 2026 of the Government detailing a number of articles of, and measures to organize and guide, the Law on Product and Goods Quality — Clause 1, Article 42 (content required to be shown on goods labels); Article 35 (scope of application and cases where labeling is not required); Articles 43, 44, 47 (name of goods, responsible organization, origin); Articles 45–49 (quantity, date of production and expiry date, ingredients, technical specifications and warnings); Appendix I (other mandatory contents according to the nature of each type of goods); Appendices II–V (how to present the corresponding contents).
- Law on Product and Goods Quality No. 05/2007/QH12, amended and supplemented by Law No. 78/2025/QH15.
- Decree No. 43/2017/ND-CP and Decree No. 111/2021/ND-CP on goods labels — expire under Article 97 of Decree 37/2026/ND-CP; the use of printed labels and packaging follows the transitional provisions in Article 98 of Decree 37/2026/ND-CP.
- Related articles on ticforall.com: Decree 37/2026/ND-CP: overview of 8 chapters, 99 articles, 7 appendices and 16 forms; Appointing a conformity assessment organization under Decree 37/2026/ND-CP; QCVN 32:2026/BCT – EV charging posts and charging stations; List of products requiring energy labeling in Vietnam.
Discuss with us
This article is our interpretation to disseminate legal knowledge about goods labeling, not a legal document. The content of Appendix I is restated according to Decree 37/2026/ND-CP that we have at the time of writing; Legal documents may be amended, supplemented, replaced or repealed after the article is published. Which group a product belongs to in Appendix I depends on the characteristics of use and the declaration of each product; before applying this to a specific case, readers should look up the current document on official information portals and consult with competent authorities. The content of the article is for reference only and does not replace legal advice.
