The Government of the Russian Federation has approved new turnover rules for a wide range of personal hygiene products. According to the decree, the phased introduction of mandatory labeling in the "Chestny ZNAK" (Honest SIGN) system for hygienic paper products, cosmetics, and sanitary accessories will begin in the autumn of 2026.

The transition to the new rules will be implemented in several stages to allow manufacturers and retailers to adapt their business processes:

• From September 1, 2026, all participants in the supply chain (manufacturers, importers, distributors, and retail) are required to register in the state monitoring system.
• From October 1, 2026, the application of Data Matrix codes becomes mandatory for paper products: toilet paper, paper towels, cosmetic and table napkins, and paper handkerchiefs.
• From November 1, 2026, the mandatory labeling requirement will be extended to the remaining categories: toothbrushes and floss, hairbrushes, cotton pads, loofahs, tweezers, manicure sets, and feminine hygiene pads.

A transition period is provided for the comfortable sale of already manufactured and imported goods: the sale of unlabeled stock from warehouses and store shelves will be permitted until October 31, 2027. After this date, it will be impossible to sell products without codes through cash registers.

The next expansion of the "Honest SIGN" system to basic FMCG categories (toilet paper, cotton pads, brushes) requires manufacturers and importers to immediately launch projects to modernize packaging lines and warehouse IT equipment. The experience of integrating labeling in other segments shows that purchasing equipment for printing and scanning Data Matrix codes, as well as setting up Electronic Document Interchange (EDI), takes from 3 to 6 months. The long transition period for selling off inventory (until October 2027) will soften cash flow gaps for retail, but it is crucial for distributors to start tracking labeled products this year to avoid logistics collapses during receiving.