WEIGHTS AND MEASURES LYNNETTE FALK ASSISTANT DIRECTOR NATIONAL MEASUREMENT OFFICE DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS, INNOVATION & SKILLS

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1 WEIGHTS AND MEASURES LYNNETTE FALK ASSISTANT DIRECTOR NATIONAL MEASUREMENT OFFICE DEPARTMENT FOR BUSINESS, INNOVATION & SKILLS

2 NATIONAL MEASUREMENT OFFICE NMO Mission: to provide a measurement infrastructure which enables innovation and growth, promotes trade and facilitates fair competition and the protection of consumers, health and environment. Transactions in goods projects Cosmetics Products Food Information Traceability of Standards Powers of entry and investigation Qualifications Knitting Yarn Capacity Serving Measures

3 BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR QUANTITY LABELLING UNDER FOOD INFO REG Requirements apply to all foods intended for the final consumer (Article 1 3.) The net quantity of the food must be labelled (Article 9 1.(e)) Food information must not be misleading on quantity (Article 7 1.(a)) Quantity information must be accurate, clear, and easy to understand (Article 7 2.) Quantity information must be marked directly on the package or an attached label (Article 12 2.) Quantity to be labelled in same field of vision as name of food and alcoholic strength (Art 13 5.)

4 SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR QUANTITY LABELLING Article 23: Net Quantity 1. The net quantity of a food shall be expressed using litres, centilitres, millilitres, kilograms, or grams as appropriate: a) In units of volume in the case of liquid products b) In units of mass in the case of other products 2. In order to ensure a better understanding by the consumer of the food information on the labelling, the Commission may establish for certain specified foods, by means of delegated acts, in accordance with Article 51, a manner for the expression of the net quantity other than the one laid down in para 1 of this Article. 3. Technical rules for applying paragraph 1, including specific cases where the indication of the net quantity shall not be required, are laid down in Annex IX

5 SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR QUANTITY LABELLING Net Quantity Declaration (Annex IX) Quantity declaration not mandatory for: a) desiccating foods sold by number or weighed in the presence of the purchaser b) net quantity less than 5 g or ml (except herbs & spices) c) normally sold by number, provided the number of items can clearly be seen and easily counted from the outside or, if not, is indicated on the labelling Nominal quantity = net quantity for these purposes Multipacks Drained net weight

6 BUT Article 11 - Art 9 shall be without prejudice to more specific Union provisions regarding weights and measures Article 42 - Member States may keep national measures that conflict with the by weight or volume rule if no union provisions on an alternative manner of net quantity expression have been made under Art 23(2) Article 44 Member States have discretion over what quantity information is required for foods without prepackaging

7 EXISTING UK REQUIREMENTS Weights and Measures (Intoxicating Liquor) Order 1988 Weights and Measures (Miscellaneous Foods) Order 1988 Weights and Measures Act 1963 (Fish, Fresh Fruits and Vegetables, Meat and Poultry) Order 1984 Weights and Measures (Packaged Goods) Regulations 2006

8 MAIN CHANGES FROM EXISTING POSITION Universal, harmonised quantity labelling requirement for all pre-packaged food (subject to few exemptions) Simpler, non-product specific requirements End of UK national exemptions for specific foods, small packages, gross weight, (products affected include: biscuits, shortbread, cocoa and chocolate products, liquid oil, fruit loaves, freeze drinks, herbs, water ices, milk, potato crisps and similar snack foods, soft drinks in a syphon, sugar confectionery, chocolate confectionery, sugar, dripping, lard, fish and meat paste, cheese, soft fruit and mushrooms, mixtures of vegetables, vegetables sold by the bunch) Exemption for selling by number for any foods normally sold in that manner

9 UK IMPLEMENTATION Two workstreams: Pre-packaged Foods revocation of existing UK national legislation, new enforcement regime from December 2014 Non-pre-packaged Foods consultation on options for future labelling requirements: Option 1 Keep existing controls. Option 2 - Simplify the existing provisions (mirroring FIC for pre-packages) Option 3 - Deregulate all weights and measures controls on the labelling of loose foods Option 4 Replace legislative requirements with a non-statutory code of practice