New National Standard Released | GB/T 21302-2026 General Rules of Plastic Laminated Films and Pouches for Packaging

New National Standard Released | GB/T 21302-2026 General Rules of Plastic Laminated Films and Pouches for Packaging

Release Date: September 2026 Source: State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), Standardization Administration of China (SAC)

Standard Overview

On 30 July 2026, the State Administration for Market Regulation and the Standardization Administration of China officially released GB/T 21302-2026, General Rules of Plastic Laminated Films and Pouches for Packaging. Administered by the China National Light Industry Council and managed by the National Technical Committee TC48 on Plastic Products Standardization, the standard will take effect on 1 February 2027, fully replacing the current GB/T 21302-2007 edition.

The new standard applies to laminated films and pouches for food and non-food packaging (excluding pharmaceutical packaging), covering products manufactured from plastic-plastic, plastic-paper and plastic-aluminium foil combinations through various lamination processes. It provides unified and authoritative technical specifications for the flexible laminated packaging industry.

Key Changes

1. Comprehensive Upgrade of Technical Requirements

• Systematically defines core indicators including sensory properties, printing quality, dimensional tolerances and physical-mechanical properties, with corresponding test methods;
• Adds complete specifications for inspection rules, marking, packaging, transport and storage, extending quality control across the full product lifecycle.

2. Refined Performance Indicators

• Renames "physical-mechanical properties" to "physical-mechanical performance", with systematic revisions to grading levels, terminology and test conditions for multiple mechanical indicators;
• Classification of plastic types, symbols, material combinations, lamination processes and product delivery forms is now more comprehensive and rational, enabling manufacturers to optimize material selection and process design.

3. Introduction of Graded Technical Requirements

• Defines graded technical requirements for films and pouches with different laminated structures, promoting a shift from mere "conformity" to "graded optimization", and providing a basis for quality grading of premium food and industrial packaging.

4. Alignment with Green Packaging Trends

• The revision responds to plastic pollution control and recyclability-by-design principles, supporting material selection, structural simplification and recyclability assessment for laminated films and pouches, in line with domestic and international green packaging regulations (e.g., EU PPWR and China's Ecological and Environmental Code).

Industry Impact & Recommendations

The new standard will significantly raise quality thresholds for the laminated film and pouch industry, accelerating the phase-out of low-end non-compliant capacity while creating greater market opportunities for standardized enterprises with strong R&D and testing capabilities.

We recommend laminated packaging manufacturers:

1. Benchmark against the new standard: Start a full gap analysis of products against GB/T 21302-2026, covering sensory, printing, dimensional and physical-mechanical performance requirements;
2. Update testing systems: Revise laboratory testing procedures per the new test methods, with special attention to mechanical performance grading and changed test conditions;
3. Plan the transition period: Use the transition window before February 2027 to complete product updates, label changes and inventory clearance;
4. Align with export compliance: Coordinate with overseas requirements such as EU PPWR recyclability grading (EN 18120) in material selection and structural design, achieving synchronized domestic and export compliance.