From 01st October 2022 the Food Labelling Regulations regarding Food Business Operator information on pre-packaged food labels are changing.
The “Food Business Operator” (FBO) is the business under whose name pre-packaged foods are marketed and/or sold. This could either be the manufacturer or a distributor of the products and their name and address must be included on the product label as part of mandatory food labelling consumer information.
What is new about the Food Labelling Regulations?
Pre-packaged food labels may currently include the name and address of a foreign FBO and may continue to do so up until 31st December 2023, from 01st January 2024 the address must be in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man. At the beginning of September 2022, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) announced an extension to measures that were originally due to come into effect on 01st October 2022, allowing businesses more time to adapt and prepare for the changes.
This could present problems for some non-established businesses that do not have a physical UK presence and whose products are not marketed and sold under the name of a UK distributor, for example. UK distributors who market products imported from outside the UK under their own name will normally include their own details on the labels, thus meeting the requirement as an FBO. However, should the non-established manufacturer also import and market its products in the UK under its own name they will need to look for a solution to comply with the new rule.
Failure to meet this requirement could result in enquiries from the Food Standards Agency; should a consumer need to contact the FBO and not have the means to do so they would have to direct their enquiry or complaint to the authorities.
Fortunately, there are solutions available and Ayming can offer assistance in finding the right one for your business. Contact us!
If you would like to read the official information about this subject, you can find it here.
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