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Labelling of Products Bill

This is the text of the Labelling of Products Bill, as presented to the House of Commons on 14 January 1998.

 
 
  
Labelling of Products Bill
 
 
 
 
ARRANGEMENT OF CLAUSES
Clause 
1.Code of practice on labelling and display of products.
2.Labelling approval mark.
3.Expenses.
4.Interpretation.
5.Short title and extent.
 

 

 
 
A

B I L L

TO

Make further provision with respect to the labelling and display of food and goods to assist the consumer in making choices on ethical grounds; and for connected purposes.

BE IT ENACTED by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:-
 

Code of practice on labelling and display of products.     1. - (1) The Secretary of State shall draw up a code of practice on the labelling and display of products.
 
      (2) A code of practice under subsection (1) may stipulate such requirements for the labelling and display of products as the Secretary of State considers appropriate to assist the consumer in making choices on ethical grounds.
 
      (3) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (2), the requirements stipulated in the code of practice shall include requirements for the provision of information relating to-
 
 
    (a) the working conditions of those engaged in the production process, whether adults or minors;
 
    (b) the environmental sustainability of the methods of production and eventual disposal of products;
 
    (c) the welfare of any animal used in the production process; and
 
    (d) the precise components or ingredients of products.
      (4) The Secretary of State shall lay a code of practice under subsection (1) in draft before both Houses of Parliament and, if it is approved by resolution of each House, shall issue the code in the form of the draft.
 
      (5) The Secretary of State may from time to time revise the whole or any part of a code of practice issued under this section and subsections (2) to (4) above shall apply to such a revised code as they apply to the first issue of a code.
 
Labelling approval mark.     2. - (1) The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision for a labelling approval mark to be awarded in respect of products the labelling of which in his opinion conforms fully with the requirements of the code of practice under section 1.
 
      (2) Regulations made under this section shall be made by statutory instrument and shall be laid before Parliament on being made.
 
Expenses.     3. There shall be paid out of money provided by Parliament any expenses of the Secretary of State under this Act.
 
Interpretation.     4. In this Act-
 
 
    "labelling" means the provision of information whether on the surface of a product or on its wrapper or packaging and whether permanently or temporarily affixed;
 
    "products" means food or goods packaged or displayed for sale by retail;
 
    "production process" includes all stages in the manufacture of a product, from the getting of raw materials to delivery at the point of sale.
Short title and extent.     5. - (1) This Act may be cited as the Labelling of Products Act 1998.
 
      (2) This Act extends to Northern Ireland.
 
 

 
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