Quick answer: Amazon requires all food and beverages to be properly prepared, sealed, and packaged to prevent spoilage, melting, or damage. Every product must be fully labeled with the product name, manufacturer details, expiration date, net weight, ingredients, nutrition facts, and allergen information, and must have a shelf life greater than 90 days. New offers must be sealed in the original manufacturer’s packaging, and units from inside a larger labeled box cannot be sold individually. Listings cannot claim “FDA approved,” claim to treat disease, or use “organic” without valid USDA organic certification.
Grocery is a popular category and an unforgiving one. Food listings are checked against labeling laws, Amazon’s claims rules, and its expiration requirements, and problems lead to listing removals and account health violations. This guide summarizes Amazon’s food and beverage policy so you can list with confidence.
What the Policy Covers
Amazon’s food and beverage policy covers anything humans eat or drink, including meat, dairy, baked goods, snacks, candy, gum, packaged meals, water, soft drinks, juices, coffee, tea, sports drinks, energy drinks, non-alcoholic beer, wine, and spirits (above 0.00% and below 0.5% ABV), edible metal foils, food contact materials, organic foods, infant formula, follow-on formula, and baby food. Chilled and frozen foods and fresh produce have separate policies.
Core Requirements
| Requirement | What Amazon asks for |
|---|---|
| Packaging | Properly prepared, sealed, and packaged to prevent spoilage, melting, or damage |
| Labeling | Product name, manufacturer details, expiration date, net weight, ingredients, nutrition facts, allergen information |
| Shelf life | Greater than 90 days |
| Sourcing | From approved suppliers, meeting applicable import requirements and certifications |
| New offers | Sealed in original manufacturer’s packaging; units from a larger sealed and labeled box cannot be sold individually |
| Listing attributes | Contains food or beverage, shelf life, expiration-dated product, expiration type, item weight, customer restriction and age range |
Claims You Cannot Make
Amazon prohibits food listings, images, packaging, and inserts from:
- Including the FDA logo or claiming “FDA approved”
- Claiming the product diagnoses, cures, mitigates, treats, or prevents disease
- Using the USDA organic seal or claiming “organic” without valid USDA organic certification
- Claiming “organic” without naming the product’s certifier on the listing
- Making unverified claims about health benefits, therapeutic properties, or purity without supporting evidence from certified testing
All claims must also comply with Amazon’s misleading and prohibited claims policy.
Laws Amazon Expects You to Follow
Amazon’s policy names the regulations that apply. For food and beverages in the US, these include the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and 21 CFR 101 on food labeling, and as applicable the current good manufacturing practice rules in 21 CFR 110 and 117. Organic products fall under 7 CFR Part 205. Meat, poultry, and egg products fall under USDA inspection laws. Infant formula has additional rules under 21 CFR 106 and 107, and Amazon requires specific documentation for it, including FDA registration of manufacturers.
Expiration Dates and FBA
Food is an expiration-dated product. For FBA, Amazon requires the correct expiration attributes on the ASIN and enough remaining shelf life when inventory arrives; products that arrive expired are marked for disposal and cannot be returned to you. Amazon’s condition guidelines also prohibit selling items past their expiration date or with tampered dates. Read our guide to FBA requirements for more.
How to Stay Compliant
- Check every label against Amazon’s list before listing: name, manufacturer, expiration date, net weight, ingredients, nutrition facts, allergens.
- Source only from suppliers who can provide invoices and, where needed, certifications.
- Do not split multipacks into single units.
- Remove health and organic claims you cannot support with certification or testing.
- Track expiration dates and remove short-dated inventory before it becomes a problem.
- Respond quickly to compliance document requests in Account Health.
Our product safety and quality service helps food sellers fix listings and respond to compliance requests. For pet food specifically, see selling pet foods on Amazon.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much shelf life does food need to sell on Amazon?
Amazon’s food and beverage policy requires a shelf life greater than 90 days.
Can I sell single units from a multipack?
No. Amazon says units inside a larger sealed and labeled box cannot be sold individually.
Can I call my product organic?
Only with valid USDA organic certification, and the listing must name the certifier.
Can I say my food product has health benefits?
Not without supporting evidence from certified testing, and never claims that it treats or prevents disease.
Does the food policy cover frozen food?
Chilled and frozen foods and fresh produce are covered by separate Amazon policies.
Get Your Food Listings Reviewed
Submit your case for a free assessment, or book a consultation.
Sources
- Amazon Seller Central, Food and beverages
- Amazon Seller Central, Expiration dates on FBA products
- Amazon Seller Central, Condition guidelines
- Amazon Seller Central, Restricted products
