Brexit Changes to food labelling on EU products postponed to 2024
In line with protecting consumers from unnecessary costs, the UK Government is delaying food labelling rule changes that were due to apply from 1 October 2022, until 1 January 2024. In general, delaying these labelling requirements will mean that some labelling terms and EU addresses (in relation to the importer or Food Business Operator address requirement) will continue to be permitted on the GB market for an additional 15 months.
Following formal agreement from both Welsh and Scottish Government, these changes will apply across the whole of GB.
How an individual food is currently labelled will determine whether it is affected. The advice below is for businesses placing goods on the GB market:
a. Food Business Operator Addresses
The existing rules stipulate that you must include a business name and address on the packaging or food label of prepacked food products. This must be either:
- the name of the business under whose name the food is marketed
- the address of the business that has imported the food
For Food Business Operator addresses (FBO):
- You can continue to use either an EU, GB or NI address for the FBO on pre-packaged food or caseins placed on the market in GB until 31 December 2023
- From 1 January 2024, prepacked food or caseins sold in GB – including caseins sold in business-to-business transactions – must include a UK address for the FBO. If the FBO is not in the UK, include the address of your importer, based in the UK.
b. Quick frozen foods
For Quick-frozen foodstuffs placed on the GB market:
- You can continue to use an EU address until 31 December 2023.
- From 1 January 2024, the packaging, container, or label of quick-frozen foodstuffs sold in GB must include the name or business name and address of the manufacturer or packer or of a seller established in the UK who places that foodstuff on the market.
For more information see here.
