House of Commons portcullis
House of Commons
Session 2002 - 03
Internet Publications
Other Bills before Parliament

Food Labelling Bill


 

Food Labelling Bill

 

 
 

Contents

      1        Interpretation

      2        Labelling: countries of origin

      3        Labelling: production standards

      4        Method of marking or labelling

      5        Consequential amendment

      6        Short title, commencement and extent

 
Bill 33 53/2
 
 

Food Labelling Bill

    1

 

A

Bill

To

Make further provision for relevant information about food, including information

about the country of origin and standards of production of that food, to be made

available to consumers, by labelling, marking or in other ways; 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:—

 1     Interpretation

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires—

                 “food” is to be interpreted in accordance with section 1 of the Food Safety

Act 1990 (c. 16), but does not include food to which regulations 26, 27

and 28 of the Food Labelling Regulations 1996 (“the Regulations”)

5

apply, or sea fish or shellfish listed in Schedule 1 to the Regulations;

                 “ingredient” has the meaning assigned to it by the Regulations;

                 “labelling” has the meaning assigned to it by the Regulations;

                 “livestock” has the meaning assigned to it by the Agricultural Holdings

Act 1986 (c. 5), but including salmon and freshwater fish listed in

10

Schedule 1 to the Regulations;

                 “major ingredient” means an ingredient which forms more than 25 per

cent. by weight of a food;

                 “production standards” means the minimum legal requirements relating

to husbandry which must be observed by food producers, including

15

requirements relating to animal welfare, food safety and

environmental protection; and

                 “ultimate consumer” has the meaning assigned to it by the Regulations.

 2     Labelling: countries of origin

     (1)    Food which is sold to a consumer shall be marked or labelled with—

20

           (a)           particulars of the country or countries of origin of the food; and

           (b)           where the food has more than one ingredient, particulars of the country

or countries of origin of each major ingredient.

 
Bill 33 53/2
 
 

Food Labelling Bill

    2

 

     (2)    Where food to which subsection (1) applies has been processed or packaged in

a country or countries other than the country or countries of origin, particulars

of the country or countries of origin shall be marked or labelled in no less

prominent a manner than the particulars of the country or countries where the

food has been processed or packaged.

5

 3     Labelling: production standards

     (1)    Where a food is labelled in accordance with section 2 with a country or

countries of origin where the production standards for that food are lower than

the production standards applicable in England and Wales, a reference to that

fact shall appear on the mark or label of that food.

10

     (2)    In determining whether, in relation to any food derived from livestock, the

production standards in another country are lower than those applicable in

England and Wales, regard shall be had to any codes of recommendations for

the welfare of livestock issued under the Agriculture (Miscellaneous

Provisions) Act 1968 (c. 34) which are in force.

15

 4     Method of marking or labelling

     (1)    Subject to subsection (2), the information required by this Act shall be

provided—

           (a)           on the food’s packaging;

           (b)           on a label attached to the food’s packaging;

20

           (c)           on a label that is clearly visible through the food’s packaging;

           (d)           where the food is not prepacked, on a shelf marker or show card clearly

visible at the place where the food is presented for sale; and

           (e)           by other means accessible to consumers.

     (2)    Where food is sold otherwise than to the ultimate consumer, the information

25

required by this Act may appear on commercial documents relating to the

food, provided that it also appears on the outermost packaging of the food.

     (3)    Subsection (2) shall only apply when the commercial documents either—

           (a)           accompany the food to which they relate at all times; or

           (b)           arrive with the purchaser before or at the same time as the food itself.

30

 5     Consequential amendment

In regulation 5 of the Regulations, for sub-paragraph (f) there shall be

substituted the following sub-paragraph—

                        “(f)                           the particulars required by the Food Labelling Act

2003”.

35

 6     Short title, commencement and extent

     (1)    This Act may be cited as the Food Labelling Act 2003.

     (2)    This Act shall come into force on such day as may be appointed by order made

by statutory instrument, and different days may be appointed for different

areas.

40

     (3)    An order under subsection (2) is to be made—

 

 

Food Labelling Bill

    3

 

           (a)           in relation to England, by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food

and Rural Affairs and the Secretary of State for Health, acting jointly;

and

           (b)           in relation to Wales, by the National Assembly for Wales.

     (4)    This Act extends to England and Wales only.

5

 

 

 
contents
 
House of Commons home page Houses of Parliament home page House of Lords home page search page enquiries

© Parliamentary copyright 2003
Revised 23 January 2003