Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 (General Food Law)
What this means for your business
- Enforced by
- Food Standards Scotland
- Applies to
- United Kingdom
- On this page
- 9 compliance obligations, 1 practical guide
What you must do
9 compliance obligations under this legislation.
Management duties 8
Comply with import‑country requirements for exported food and feed
If your business exports or re‑exports food or animal feed, you must make sure it meets UK food law and any legal, technical or safety rules that the importing country imposes. Where the product could not be sold in the UK, you need the explicit agreement of the destination country's authorities before you can ship it, and you must follow any relevant bilateral agreement.
Ensure all food placed on the market is safe
You must only sell or supply food that is safe for consumers. This means checking that it isn’t harmful or unfit to eat, using label information and normal use conditions, and treating any unsafe batch as unsafe unless you can clearly prove the rest is safe. If you can’t be sure the food is safe, you must not place it on the market.
Ensure feed placed on the market is safe
You must make sure any feed you sell or give to food‑producing animals is safe – it must not harm animal or human health or make the animal‑derived food unsafe. If a batch is found to be unsafe, you are assumed to treat the whole batch as unsafe unless you can prove otherwise, and you must withdraw it from the market promptly.
Ensure food and feed meet legal safety requirements
Unlimited fineYou must make sure that every food or animal feed you produce, process or distribute complies with all relevant food‑law rules, and you must check that it actually does. Put checks in place at each stage of your operation and keep records to prove the food or feed is safe and legal.
Ensure food and feed presentation is not misleading
You must make sure that anything you put on a product – its labelling, advertising, packaging, shape, appearance, how it’s displayed or any information you give about it – does not mislead consumers. This covers all food and feed you sell, no matter how it is presented.
Ensure imported food/feed meets UK food law requirements
Unlimited fineIf your business brings food or animal feed into Great Britain to sell, you must make sure it complies with UK food regulations or any equivalent standards set out in a UK trade agreement. In practice you need to check the product and its paperwork and keep evidence that it meets these rules before you put it on the market.
Withdraw and report unsafe feed immediately
If you think any feed you import, make, process or sell might be unsafe, you must quickly take it off the market, tell the authority, destroy it (unless told otherwise), and let your customers know why. You also need to cooperate with the authority on any further action, including recalls if necessary.
Withdraw unsafe food and notify authorities and consumers
Unlimited fineIf you suspect any food you import, make, process, manufacture or sell is unsafe or does not meet food‑safety rules, you must act straight away – pull it from the market, tell the relevant authority and, where it may have reached customers, inform them and arrange a recall if needed. You also need to keep cooperating with inspectors on any investigations.
Other requirements 1
Avoid deceptive or fraudulent food practices
Your business must not use misleading marketing, false claims or tamper with food to trick consumers. This covers everything from labelling and advertising to the actual contents of the product. Failing to do so breaches food law and can lead to enforcement action.
Penalties for non-compliance
3 penalties under this legislation. 3 carry an unlimited fine.
Ensure food and feed meet legal safety requirements
Unlimited fine
Ensure imported food/feed meets UK food law requirements
Unlimited fine
Withdraw unsafe food and notify authorities and consumers
Unlimited fine
Practical guidance
Our guides explain how to comply with the requirements above.
Sections and provisions
66 classified provisions from this legislation.
Duties 12
- s.8 Protection of consumers' interests
- s.9 Public consultation
- s.10 Public information
- s.11 Food and feed imported into Great Britain
- s.12 Food and feed exported from Great Britain
- s.13 International standards
- s.14 Food safety requirements food is injurious
- s.15 Feed safety requirements Feed
- s.16 Presentation
- s.17 Responsibilities
- s.19 Responsibilities for food: food business operators
- s.20 Responsibilities for feed: feed business operators