| Statutory Instrument 1996 No. 1499
The Food Labelling Regulations 1996 - continued | ||
4.(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) of this regulation, this Part of these Regulations applies to food which is ready for delivery to the ultimate consumer or to a catering establishment. (2) Except for regulations 33 and 34 and, insofar as they relate to regulations 33 and 34, regulations 35 and 38, this Part of these Regulations does not apply to
(3) This Part of these Regulations does not apply to
5. Subject to the following provisions of this Part of these Regulations, all food to which this Part of these Regulations applies shall be marked or labelled with
6.(1) If there is a name prescribed by law for a food, that is to say if a particular name is required to be used for the food, that name shall be used as the name of the food. (2) The name used for food specified in Schedule 1 shall be the name required by that Schedule. (3) A name that is required to be used for a food by paragraph (1) or (2) of this regulation may be qualified by other words which make it more precise.
7. If there is no name prescribed by law for a food, a customary name, that is to say a name which is customary in the area where the food is sold, may be used for the food.
8. If
9. The name of a food may consist of a name or description or of a name and description and it may contain more than one word.
10. A trade mark, brand name or fancy name shall not be substituted for the name of a food.
11.(1) Where a purchaser could be misled by the omission of an indication
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (1) of this regulation, the name used for a food specified in Schedule 2 shall include or be accompanied by such indication as is required by that Schedule.
12. The list of ingredients must be headed or preceded by an appropriate heading which consists of or includes the word "ingredients".
13.(1) Subject to the following paragraphs of this regulation, when a food is marked or labelled with a list of ingredients, the ingredients shall be listed in descending order of weight determined as at the time of their use in the preparation of the food. (2) Subject to regulation 16, water and volatile products which are added as ingredients of a food shall be listed in order of their weight in the finished product, the weight being calculated in the case of water by deducting from the total weight of the finished product the total weight of the other ingredients used. (3) In the case of an ingredient which is used in a food in concentrated or dehydrated form and which is reconstituted during preparation of the food, the weight used in determining the order of the list of ingredients may be the weight of the ingredient before concentration or dehydration. (4) Without prejudice to regulation 12, where a food is in concentrated or dehydrated form and is intended to be reconstituted by the addition of water, its ingredients may be listed in descending order of their weight in the food when reconstituted as directed if the heading of the list of ingredients includes or is accompanied by the words "ingredients of the reconstituted product" or "ingredients of the ready to use product" or by some other indication to similar effect. (5) Where a food consists of, or contains, mixed fruit, nuts, vegetables, spices or herbs and no particular fruit, nut, vegetable, spice or herb predominates significantly by weight, those ingredients may be listed otherwise than in descending order of weight if
14.(1) Subject to the following paragraphs of this regulation, the name used for any ingredient in a list of ingredients shall be a name which, if the ingredient in question were itself being sold as a food, could be used as the name of the food. (2) The name used in any list of ingredients for any food which has been irradiated shall include or be accompanied by the word "irradiated" or the words "treated with ionising radiation". (3) Where in any case other than one to which paragraph (2) of this regulation applies a purchaser could be misled by the omission from the name used for an ingredient of any indication which, if the ingredient were itself being sold as a food, would be required to be included in or to accompany the name of the food, the name used for the ingredient in a list of ingredients shall include or be accompanied by that indication unless the provision requiring the indication provides to the contrary. (4) A generic name which appears in column 1 of Schedule 3 may be used for an ingredient which is specified in the corresponding entry in column 2 of that Schedule in accordance with any conditions that are laid down in the corresponding entry in column 3 of that Schedule. (5) Where an ingredient being a flavouring is added to or used in a food it shall be identified by either
(6) The word "natural", or any other word having substantially the same meaning, may be used for an ingredient being a flavouring only where the flavouring component (or components) of such an ingredient consists (or consist) exclusively of
(7) If the name of an ingredient being a flavouring refers to the vegetable or animal nature or origin of the material which it incorporates, the word "natural", or any other word having substantially the same meaning, may not be used for that ingredient unless, in addition to satisfying the requirements of paragraph (6) of this regulation, the flavouring component (or components) of that ingredient has (or have) been isolated by physical, enzymatic or microbiological processes, or by a process normally used in preparing food for human consumption, solely or almost solely from that vegetable or animal source. (8) In paragraphs (6) and (7) of this regulation
(9) An additive which is added to or used in a food to serve the function of one of the categories of additives listed in Schedule 4 shall be identified by the name of that category followed by the additives specific name or serial number (if any). An additive which is added to or used in a food to serve more than one such function shall be identified by the name of the category that represents the principal function served by the additive in that food followed by the additives specific name or serial number (if any). (10) An additive which is required to be named in the list of ingredients of a food and which is neither a flavouring nor serves the function of one of the categories of additives listed in Schedule 4 shall be identified by its specific name. (11) In this regulation "serial number" means the number specified for an additive in any of the additive regulations or in Schedule 3 to the Bread and Flour Regulations.
15.(1) Subject to paragraphs (3) and (4) of this regulation, where a compound ingredient is used in the preparation of a food, the names of the ingredients of the compound ingredient shall be given in the list of ingredients of the food either instead of or in addition to the name of the compound ingredient itself. (2) If the name of a compound ingredient is given, it shall be immediately followed by the names of its ingredients in such a way as to make it clear that they are ingredients of that compound ingredient. (3) The names of the ingredients of a compound ingredient need not be given in a case where the compound ingredient would not be required to be marked or labelled with a list of ingredients if it were itself being sold prepacked as a food. (4) The names of the ingredients of a compound ingredient need not be given in a case where
16.(1) Water which is added as an ingredient of a food shall be declared in the list of ingredients of the food unless
(2) Water which is added to any frozen or quick-frozen chicken carcase to which Commission Regulation (EEC) No. 1538/91[45] applies, as amended by Commission Regulation (EEC) No. 2891/93[46], introducing detailed rules for implementing Council Regulation (EEC) No. 1906/90 on certain marketing standards for poultry, need not be declared in the list of ingredients of the food.
17. The following ingredients of a food need not be named in its list of ingredients:
18.(1) The following foods need not be marked or labelled with a list of ingredients:
(2) Without prejudice to regulation 12, in the case of
(3) The labelling of any food that is not required to bear a list of ingredients shall not include a list of ingredients unless the food is marked or labelled with a complete list of ingredients in accordance with regulations 12 to 17 as if it were required to be so marked or labelled.
19.(1) Where a food is characterised by the presence of a particular ingredient, the labelling of the food shall not place special emphasis on the presence of that ingredient, unless it includes a declaration of the minimum percentage of that ingredient in the food, determined as at the time of its use in the preparation of the food. (2) Where a food is characterised by the low content of a particular ingredient, the labelling of the food shall not place special emphasis on the low content of that ingredient, unless it includes a declaration of the maximum percentage of that ingredient in the food, determined as at the time of its use in the preparation of the food. (3) Any declaration required by paragraph (1) or (2) of this regulation shall either
(4) A reference in the name of a food to a particular ingredient shall not of itself constitute the placing of special emphasis on the presence or low content of that ingredient. (5) A reference in the labelling of a food to an ingredient which is used in a small quantity and only as a flavouring shall not of itself constitute the placing of special emphasis on the presence or low content of that ingredient.
20.(1) Subject to the following paragraphs of this regulation, the minimum durability of a food shall be indicated by the words "best before" followed by
(2) The date in the indication of minimum durability shall be expressed in terms of a day, month and year (in that order), except that
(3) Either
21.(1) Where a "use by" date is required in respect of a food it shall be indicated by the words "use by" followed by
(2) The "use by" date shall be expressed in terms either of a day and month (in that order) or of a day, a month and a year (in that order). (3) Either
22. The following foods need not be marked or labelled with an appropriate durability indication:
23.(1) This regulation applies to
(2) Subject to paragraph (3) of this regulation, food to which this regulation applies need not be marked or labelled with any of the particulars specified in regulation 5 except
(3) Food to which this regulation applies which has not been irradiated and which is
24.(1) Subject to the following paragraphs of this regulation, any food which
(2) Any edible ice or flour confectionery which, but for this paragraph, would be required to be marked or labelled in accordance with paragraph (1) of this regulation need not be so marked or labelled if there is displayed in a prominent position near the edible ice or flour confectionery a notice stating, subject to paragraph (3) of this regulation, that edible ices or flour confectionery, as the case may be, sold at the establishment where the notice is displayed may contain such categories of additives. (3) Where, in the circumstances described in paragraph (1) or (2) of this regulation, an additive serves more than one of the functions specified in the said paragraph (1), it shall only be necessary to indicate that category which represents the principal function served by the additive in the food or ingredient to which it was added or in which it was used. (4) This regulation does not apply to food which is not exposed for sale.
25.(1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this regulation, any food which
(2) This regulation does not apply to food which is not exposed for sale.
26.(1) Subject to the following paragraphs of this regulation, any prepacked food, either contained in an indelibly marked glass bottle intended for re-use and having no label, ring or collar, or the largest surface of whose packaging has an area of less than ten square centimetres, need not by virtue of these Regulations be marked or labelled with any of the particulars specified in regulation 5 except the name of the food and, unless the food is not required to be marked or labelled with such an indication, the appropriate durability indication. (2) Any bottle referred to in paragraph (1) of this regulation which contains milk shall also be marked or labelled with the particulars required by regulation 5(f) (where the appropriate circumstances described in that regulation apply) and, if such milk is raw milk, with the particulars required by regulation 5(e)(i). (3) Subject to paragraphs (4) and (5) of this regulation, any prepacked food which
(4) This regulation does not apply to any food to which regulation 23 or 27 applies. (5) Any bottle referred to in paragraph (1) of this regulation need not
27.(1) Subject to the following paragraphs of this regulation, any food which is sold at a catering establishment and is either
(2) In the case of any such food being milk which is prepacked for direct sale it shall be marked or labelled with the particulars required by regulations 5(f) (where the appropriate circumstances described in that regulation apply) and, if such milk is raw milk, the particulars required by regulation 5(e)(i). (3) In the case of any such food which has been irradiated that food shall be marked or labelled with an indication of such treatment, which indication shall include or be accompanied by the word "irradiated" or the words "treated with ionising radiation". (4) In the case of any such food which contains an ingredient which has been irradiated (and which comprises a particular with which, had that food been prepacked, the food would have been required by these Regulations to be marked or labelled), that food shall (subject to regulation 36(3) and (4)) be marked or labelled with an indication that it contains that ingredient and the reference within that indication to that ingredient shall include or be accompanied by the word "irradiated" or the words "treated with ionising radiation".
28. The outer packaging of a seasonal selection pack need not be marked or labelled with any of the particulars specified by these Regulations, provided that each item contained in the pack is individually prepacked and is marked or labelled in accordance with the provisions of these Regulations or any other Regulations applying to such item.
29.(1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this regulation, where any food is sold from a vending machine, without prejudice to any other labelling requirements imposed by these Regulations, there shall appear on the front of the machine a notice indicating the name of the food (unless that name appears on the labelling of the food in such a manner as to be easily visible and clearly legible to an intending purchaser through the outside of the machine), together with
(2) A notice required under sub-paragraph (a) or (b) of paragraph (1) of this regulation shall appear either
30.(1) In the case of prepacked alcoholic drinks other than Community controlled wine, every drink with an alcoholic strength by volume of more than 1.2 per cent shall be marked or labelled with an indication of its alcoholic strength by volume in the form of a figure to not more than one decimal place (which may be preceded by the word "alcohol" or by the abbreviation "alc") followed by the symbol "% vol". (2) Positive and negative tolerances shall be permitted in respect of the indication of alcoholic strength by volume and shall be those specified in Schedule 5, expressed in absolute values. (3) For the purposes of this regulation, the alcoholic strength of any drink shall be determined at 20°C.
31.(1) Subject to paragraph (3) of this regulation, and except in cases to which paragraph (2) of this regulation applies, the container in which any raw milk is sold shall be marked or labelled with the words "This milk has not been heat-treated and may therefore contain organisms harmful to health". (2) Subject to paragraph (3) of this regulation, in the case of any raw milk which is not prepacked and is sold at a catering establishment there shall appear
(3) The provisions of paragraphs (1) and (2) of this regulation shall not apply to raw milk from buffaloes.
32. The container in which any product
33. A food the durability of which has been extended by means of its being packaged in any packaging gas authorised pursuant to Council Directive 89/107/EEC[50], concerning food additives for use in foodstuffs intended for human consumption, shall be marked or labelled with the indication "packaged in a protective atmosphere".
34.(1) A food containing a sweetener or sweeteners authorised pursuant to the Sweeteners in Food Regulations 1995[51] shall be marked of labelled with the indication "with sweetener(s)". (2) A food containing both an added sugar or sugars and a sweetener or sweeteners authorised pursuant to those Regulations shall be marked or labelled with the indication "with sugar(s) and sweetener(s)". (3) A food containing aspartame shall be marked or labelled with the indication "contains a source of phenylalanine". (4) A food containing more than 10% added polyols shall be marked or labelled with the indication "excessive consumption may produce laxative effects". (5) The indications required by paragraphs (1) and (2) above shall accompany the name of the food.
35. When any food other than food to which regulation 23, 27 or 31 applies is sold, the particulars with which if is required to be marked or labelled by these Regulations shall appear
36.(1) When any food to which regulation 23 or 27 applies is sold to the ultimate consumer, the particulars with which it is required to be marked or labelled by these Regulations shall, except in a case to which paragraph (2) of this regulation applies, appear
(2) In any case where food to which paragraph (1)(b) of this regulation applies has been or contains an ingredient which has been irradiated and that food is sold and delivered to the ultimate consumer in a catering establishment, use of alternative labelling shall not alone be treated as a contravention of these Regulations and for this purpose alternative labelling is used where, instead of the particulars referred to in that paragraph appearing in the manner specified therein, alternative particulars are displayed in accordance with paragraph (3), with paragraph (4) or with paragraphs (3) and (4) of this regulation. (3) Alternative particulars are displayed in accordance with this paragraph in relation to any ingredient which has been irradiated if there appears, in the manner specified in paragraph (1)(b) of this regulation, an indication that the food of which that irradiated ingredient forms part may contain that irradiated ingredient and if the reference within that indication to that ingredient includes or is accompanied by the word "irradiated" or the words "treated with ionising radiation". (4) Alternative particulars are displayed in accordance with this paragraph if the irradiated ingredients to which they relate are dried substances normally used for seasoning, if there appears, in the manner specified in paragraph (1)(b) of this regulation, an indication to the effect that food sold in the catering establishment contains (or may contain) those irradiated ingredients and if the reference within that indication to those ingredients includes or is accompanied by the word "irradiated" or the words "treated with ionising radiation". (5) When any food to which regulation 23 applies is sold otherwise than to the ultimate consumer, the particulars with which it is required to be marked or labelled by these Regulations shall appear
37.(1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this regulation, in the case of milk that is contained in a bottle, any particulars which are required to be given under these Regulations may be given on the bottle cap. (2) In the case of raw milk contained in a bottle, the particulars specified in regulation 31(1) shall be given elsewhere than on the bottle cap.
38.(1) The particulars with which a food is required to be marked or labelled by these Regulations, or which appear on a menu, notice, ticket or label pursuant to these Regulations, shall be easy to understand, clearly legible and indelible and, when a food is sold to the ultimate consumer, the said particulars shall be marked in a conspicuous place in such a way as to be easily visible. (2) Such particulars shall not in any way be hidden, obscured or interrupted by any other written or pictorial matter. (3) Paragraph (1) of this regulation shall not be taken to preclude the giving of such particulars at a catering establishment, in respect of foods the variety and type of which are changed regularly, by means of temporary media (including the use of chalk on a blackboard).
39.(1) Where a food is required to be marked or labelled with more than one of the following indications, such indications shall appear in the labelling of the food in the same field of vision
(2) Paragraph (1)(b), (c) and (f) of this regulation shall not apply to any food sold in a bottle or packaging where such bottle or packaging is the subject of regulation 26. Notes: [19] S.I. 1976/509; relevant amending instrument is S.I. 1980/1849. back [20] S.I. 1976/1832, to which there are amendments not relevant to these Regulations. back [21] S.I. 1977/928; relevant amending instrument is S.I. 1982/1066. back [22] S.I. 1978/1420; relevant amending instrument is S.I. 1987/1986. back [23] OJ No. L173, 6.7.90, p.5 as read with Corrigendum at OJ No. L195, 26.7.90, p.40. back [24] Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2617/93 (OJ No. L240, 25.9.93, p.1) and Council Regulation (EC) No. 3117/94 (OJ No. L330, 12.12.94, p.4). back [25] OJ No. L121, 16.5.91, p.11. back [26] Commission Regulation (EEC) No. 3540/91 (OJ No. L335, 6.12.91, p.12), Commission Regulation (EEC) No. 2221/92 (OJ No. L218, 1.8.92, p.81, as read with Corrigendum at OJ No. L292, 8.10.92, p.34), Commission Regulation (EC) No. 3300/93 (OJ No. L296, 1.12.93, p.52), Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1259/94 (OJ No. L137, 1.6.94, p.54), Commission Regulation (EC) No. 3239/94 (OJ No. L338, 28.12.94, p.48), Commission Regulation (EC) No. 786/95 (OJ No. L79, 7.4.95, p.12) and Commission Regulation (EC) No. 2401/95 (OJ No. L246, 13.10.95, p.6). back [27] OJ No. L168, 2.7.94, p.34. back [28] OJ No. L316, 9.12.94, p.2. back [29] OJ No. L232, 9.8.89, p.3. back [30] Council Regulation (EEC) No. 3886/89 (OJ No. L378, 27.12.89, p.12) and Council Regulation (EEC) No. 3897/91 (OJ No. L386, 31.12.91, p.5). back [31] OJ No. L231, 13.8.92, p.9. back [32] OJ No. L368, 31.12.91, p.1. back [33] OJ No. L368, 31.12.91, p.15. back [34] OJ No. L160, 12.6.89, p.1. back [35] OJ No. L365, 15.12.89, p.48. back [36] Commission Regulation (EEC) No. 1759/90 (OJ No. L162, 28.6.90, p.23), Commission Regulation (EEC) No. 3207/90 (OJ No. L307, 7.11.90, p.11), and Commission Regulation (EEC) No. 3750/90 (OJ No. L360, 22.12.90, p.40). back [37] OJ No. L105, 25.4.90, p.9. back [38] Commission Regulation (EEC) No. 1180/91 (OJ No. L115, 8.5.91, p.5), Commission Regulation (EEC) No. 1781/91 (OJ No. L160, 25.6.91, p.5), and Commission Regulation (EEC) No. 3458/92 (OJ No. L350, 1.12.92, p.59). back [39] OJ No. L118, 20.5.72, p.1. back [40] The relevant amending instrument is Council Regulation (EEC) No. 1603/91 (OJ No. L149, 14.6.91, p.12). back [41] OJ No. L212, 22.7.89, p.79. back [42] OJ No. L163, 17.6.92, p.1. back [43] S.I. 1993/1658, amended by S.I. 1995/1440. back [45] OJ No. L143, 7.6.91, p.11. back [46] OJ No. L263, 22.10.93, p.12. back [47] OJ No. L256, 7.9.87, p.1. back [48] Relevant amendment is Commission Regulation (EEC) No. 2551/93, OJ No. L241, 27.9.93, p.1. back [50] OJ No. L40, 11.2.89, p.27. back |
![]() ![]()
|
||
| Other UK SIs | Home | National Assembly for Wales Statutory Instruments | Scottish Statutory Instruments | Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland | Her Majesty's Stationery Office | ||
|
|
||
| We welcome your comments on this site | © Crown copyright 1996 | Prepared 20th September 2000 |