FDA Thailand GDA labels in Thailand: which foods need them and how to make one correctly
What the Thai GDA label is
The Thai GDA label (Guideline Daily Amounts) shows the energy, sugar, fat and sodium a consumer gets from eating one whole package, together with the percentage of the maximum daily intake. It appears as four vertical cylinders on the front of the pack, so shoppers see it without turning to the nutrition panel on the back.
The governing rule is Ministry of Public Health Notification No. 394 (2018) on foods required to show nutrition labelling and energy, sugar, fat and sodium in GDA form, as amended by No. 446 (2023) and No. 466 (2025). Foods on the list must show both the nutrition panel and the GDA label.
The key difference from the nutrition panel is the basis of calculation. The nutrition panel is per serving; the GDA label is per package, because it is designed to tell the consumer what they get if they finish the bag or bottle.
GDA label requirements Thailand: which foods must comply
The consolidated Notification No. 394 lists 13 groups of foods in retail packaging that must show the GDA label. The main groups include:
- snack foods;
- chocolate and bakery products;
- semi-instant foods such as instant noodles and porridge;
- chilled or frozen single-dish meals;
- beverages in hermetically sealed containers, and ready-to-drink tea and coffee;
- flavoured milk, fermented milk, dairy products, soy milk and ready-to-eat ice cream.
The sub-items are detailed. The Food Division Q&A (revised February 2026) says, for example, that seaweed that is not fried falls outside the scope, while fried, baked, salted or coated nuts count as snack foods. If you are unsure, compare your product with the sub-item list before designing the pack.
Not covered
The notification does not apply to food cooked and sold directly to consumers, or to foods that already have their own notification on nutrient labelling. Any other food that chooses to show GDA must follow this notification's format.
GDA format Thailand: cylinders, colours and reference values
The format is set by the schedule to No. 394, which No. 466 (2025) replaced:
- four vertical, round-ended cylinders in the order energy, sugar, fat, sodium;
- borders, lines and text in one colour that contrasts with the label background;
- white fill inside the cylinders, except large outer packs such as corrugated cartons;
- "total sugar" and "total fat" may be used as the labels.
The Food Division Q&A notes that from 12 December 2025, colours other than black or dark blue may be used for the border and text under No. 466.
Reference values
| Item | Maximum daily intake |
|---|---|
| Energy | 2,000 kcal |
| Sugar | 65 g |
| Fat | 65 g |
| Sodium | 2,000 mg |
Required wording includes "nutritional value per ..." (the package unit), "should be divided into ... portions" when the pack can be eaten in more than one sitting, and "*percentage of the maximum daily intake".
How to make a GDA label, step by step
The GDA label uses the same data as the nutrition panel, so produce both together.
- Confirm scope against the 13 groups and the Q&A sub-items.
- Get nutrition analysis of the finished product from a government laboratory or one accredited to ISO 17025. The Q&A states that different recipes cannot share results.
- Convert to per-package values from the per-serving results, then calculate the percentage against the reference values above.
- Prepare the nutrition panel in a Schedule 1 format of Notification No. 445 on nutrition labelling, as No. 446 requires.
- Place the GDA label on the front in the four-cylinder format with the required wording.
- Add other mandatory statements; snacks, chocolate and bakery products need the consumption advice described below.
The Food Division Q&A confirms that a label made in line with the notification does not need prior Thai FDA approval.
Placement, font size and small packs
The Food Division Q&A answers the most common design questions:
- Placement: the GDA label must be on the front. A sticker is acceptable, and it may sit on a cup-noodle lid if that is the most visible surface.
- Font size: at least 1 mm high, under clause 15 of Notification No. 450 (2024) on labelling of packaged food.
- Language: Thai is required; English may be added.
Small front panels
The explanatory note on No. 394 allows individual units with a front label under 65 cm² to show GDA on the outer pack instead. Returnable bottles, and milk or liquid beverages with a front label under 65 cm² sold individually, may provide GDA through a mobile application such as a QR code together with point-of-sale display. The Q&A adds that foods without this exemption cannot replace the label with a QR code.
Front-of-pack label Thailand: online sales, community products and exports
Small producers often ask whether online sales need a GDA label. The Thai FDA's food licensing manual explains that a producer selling directly through its own channels, such as its own social-media page or account, is exempt from labelling, but products consigned to online marketplaces or other people's shops must be labelled.
- Community enterprise or OTOP products consigned to shops must show GDA, according to the Q&A.
- Export-only products do not need the Thai GDA label and follow the importing country's law instead; but if the same label is also used for domestic sale, it must show GDA.
For export, check the destination country's front-of-pack rules separately; formats differ from country to country.
Consumption advice and processed foods under No. 456
Snacks, chocolate and bakery products must carry the statement "consume in small amounts and exercise for good health" in bold, clearly visible type, under clause 5 of No. 394.
Notification No. 456 B.E. 2568 (2025) on labelling of certain processed foods, in force from 3 May 2025, makes eight processed foods label-required and requires nutrition or GDA labelling as applicable. Its explanatory note confirms that snack foods, bakery products and chilled or frozen single-dish meals in retail packaging must show nutrition and GDA labelling under No. 394. Foods numbered before the effective date may be sold until 3 May 2027.
For the nutrition panel on the back, read full vs short Thai nutrition labels.
GDA pre-print checklist
- Is the product in one of the 13 groups or their sub-items?
- Analysis is from the finished product, same recipe as the one being sold.
- Values per package, percentages against 2,000 kcal, 65 g sugar, 65 g fat and 2,000 mg sodium.
- Four cylinders, white fill, border, lines and text in one contrasting colour.
- On the front, text at least 1 mm high, Thai included.
- "Should be divided into ... portions" when the pack serves more than once.
- Snacks, chocolate and bakery products carry the bold consumption advice.
Check the whole label with the label checker, or contact our team for an expert category, formula and label review.
Frequently asked questions
How is the GDA label different from the nutrition panel?
The nutrition panel is per serving and sits in the nutrition information box. The GDA label is per package and shows four cylinders on the front. Listed foods must show both.
Do I need a GDA label if I sell snacks through my own page?
The Thai FDA manual explains that producers selling directly through their own channels are exempt from labelling, but products consigned to online marketplaces or other shops must be labelled.
Can a QR code replace the GDA label?
Only in the exempted cases, such as returnable bottles, or milk and liquid beverages with a front label under 65 cm² sold individually. Other foods cannot replace the label with a QR code.
Does a GDA label need Thai FDA approval?
No, provided it follows the notification's conditions and format, as the Food Division Q&A confirms.
Do export products need the Thai GDA label?
Export-only products do not; they follow the importing country's law. A label also used for domestic sale must show GDA.
Sources
- MOPH Notification No. 394 (2018) on foods requiring nutrition labelling and GDA · Open source · Search our archive
- Notification No. 394, consolidated with Nos. 446 and 466 · Open source · Search our archive
- MOPH Notification No. 446 B.E. 2566 (2023) · Open source · Search our archive
- MOPH Notification No. 466 B.E. 2568 (2025), GDA format · Open source · Search our archive
- Explanatory note on Notification No. 394 · Open source · Search our archive
- Q&A on foods requiring nutrition and GDA labelling (revised February 2026) · Open source · Search our archive
- MOPH Notification No. 456 B.E. 2568 (2025) on labelling of certain processed foods · Open source · Search our archive
- Explanatory note on Notification No. 456 · Open source · Search our archive
- Food product licensing manual (Thai FDA) · Open source · Search our archive
This article is for general information. It is not a Thai FDA ruling or legal advice, and rules change — check the latest notification or ask an expert before filing or producing.