The Spreadable Fats, Milk and Milk Products (Scotland) Regulations 2008

Scottish Statutory Instruments

2008 No. 216

FOOD

The Spreadable Fats, Milk and Milk Products (Scotland) Regulations 2008

Made

3rd June 2008

Laid before the Scottish Parliament

4th June 2008

Coming into force

1st July 2008

The Scottish Ministers make the following Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 6(4), 16(1), 17(2), 26(1) and (3) and 48(1) of the Food Safety Act 1990(1), and all other powers enabling them to do so.

In accordance with section 48(4A)(2) of that Act they have had regard to relevant advice given by the Food Standards Agency.

There has been consultation as required by Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety(3).

Citation, commencement and extent S

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Spreadable Fats, Milk and Milk Products (Scotland) Regulations 2008, and come into force on 1st July 2008.

(2) These Regulations extend to Scotland only.

Commencement Information

I1 Reg. 1 in force at 1.7.2008, see reg. 1(1)

Interpretation S

2.—(1) In these Regulations–

“the Act” means the Food Safety Act 1990;

[F1 “Council Regulation 2013” means [F2 Regulation (EU) No. 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council as last amended by Regulation (EU) 2017/2393 of the European Parliament and of the Council] establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) No. 922/72, (EEC) No. 234/79, (EC) No. 1037/2001 and (EC) No. 1234/2007;]

“the Commission Regulation” means Commission Regulation (EC) No. 445/2007 laying down certain detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No. 2991/94 laying down standards for spreadable fats and of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 1898/87 on the protection of designations used in the marketing of milk and milk products(4);

F3 ...

“the Council Regulation” means Council Regulation (EC) No. 1234/2007 establishing a common organisation of agricultural markets and on specific provisions for certain agricultural products (Single CMO Regulation)(5);

“sell” includes possess for sale, and offer, expose or advertise for sale;

“sell by retail” means to sell to a person who is not buying for the purpose of re sale;

[F4 “specified provisions” means those provisions listed in regulation 6(2);]

“vitamin A” means vitamin A present as such or as its esters and includes beta carotene on the basis that 6 micrograms of beta carotene or 12 micrograms of other biologically active carontenoids equal one microgram of retinol equivalent; and

“vitamin D” means the anti rachitic vitamins.

(2) Other expressions used in these Regulations and in the Council Regulation or the Commission Regulation have the same meaning in these Regulations as they have in the Council Regulation or the Commission Regulation.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in reg. 2(1) inserted (1.1.2014) by The Single Common Market Organisation (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/3235), regs. 1, 17(2)

F2 Words in reg. 2(1) substituted (28.3.2019) by The Food Standards and Hygiene (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Scotland) Regulations 2019 (S.S.I. 2019/33), regs. 1(1), 10(2)

F3 Words in reg. 2(1) omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Food Composition, Labelling and Standards (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2019 (S.S.I. 2019/53), regs. 1(1), 4(2)(a); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F4 Words in reg. 2(1) inserted (31.12.2020) by The Food Composition, Labelling and Standards (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2019 (S.S.I. 2019/53), regs. 1(1), 4(2)(b); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

Commencement Information

I2 Reg. 2 in force at 1.7.2008, see reg. 1(1)

Exemptions from these Regulations S

F5 3.  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F5 Reg. 3 omitted (22.2.2022) by virtue of The Food (Withdrawal of Recognition) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 (S.S.I. 2021/477), regs. 1(1), 4(2)

Commencement Information

I3 Reg. 3 in force at 1.7.2008, see reg. 1(1)

Vitamin content of margarine S

4.  No person may sell by retail any margarine unless it contains in every 100 grams–

(a) not less than 800 micrograms and not more than 1,000 micrograms of vitamin A; and

(b) not less than 7.05 micrograms and not more than 8.82 micrograms of vitamin D,

and a proportionate amount in any part of 100 grams.

Commencement Information

I4 Reg. 4 in force at 1.7.2008, see reg. 1(1)

Enforcement S

5.  Each food authority shall execute and enforce the [F6 specified provisions] and these Regulations in its area.

Textual Amendments

F6 Words in reg. 5 substituted (31.12.2020) by The Food Composition, Labelling and Standards (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2019 (S.S.I. 2019/53), regs. 1(1), 4(3); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

Commencement Information

I5 Reg. 5 in force at 1.7.2008, see reg. 1(1)

Offences and penalty S

6.—(1) Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with–

(a) regulation 4; or

(b) any [F7 specified] provision,

is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.

(2) The [F8 specified] provisions are–

(a) Article 114(1) of the Council Regulation (prescribed descriptions for milk and milk products) as read with [F9 Part III of Annex VII to Council Regulation 2013];

(b) Article 115 of the Council Regulation (marketing standard applying to spreadable fats, including compositional criteria for reserved descriptions), as read with–

[F10 (i) points 1,3,5 and 6 of Part II and point 2 of Part IV of Annex XV to the Council Regulation;]

(ii) Article 1 of and Annex I to the Commission Regulation; or

(iii) Article 2 of and Annex II to the Commission Regulation; and

(bc) [F11 Article 78(1)(f) and (2) of Council Regulation 2013 (definitions, designations and sales descriptions applying to spreadable fats) as read with Part VII of Annex VII to Council Regulation 2013; and]

(c) Article 3 of the Commission Regulation (requirements relating to the use of the designation “butter” for composite products) as read with Annex III to that Regulation.

Textual Amendments

F7 Word in reg. 6(1)(b) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Food Composition, Labelling and Standards (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2019 (S.S.I. 2019/53), regs. 1(1), 4(4)(a); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F8 Word in reg. 6(2) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Food Composition, Labelling and Standards (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2019 (S.S.I. 2019/53), regs. 1(1), 4(4)(b); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

F9 Words in reg. 6(2)(a) substituted (1.1.2014) by The Single Common Market Organisation (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/3235), regs. 1, 17(3)(a)

F10 Reg. 6(2)(b)(i) substituted (1.1.2014) by The Single Common Market Organisation (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/3235), regs. 1, 17(3)(b)

F11 Reg. 6(2)(bc) inserted (1.1.2014) by The Single Common Market Organisation (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/3235), regs. 1, 17(3)(c)

Commencement Information

I6 Reg. 6 in force at 1.7.2008, see reg. 1(1)

Application of various provisions of the Act S

7.—(1) The following provisions of the Act shall apply for the purposes of these Regulations with the modification that any reference in those provisions to the Act or Part thereof is to be construed as a reference to these Regulations–

(a) section 2 (extended meaning of “sale” etc.);

(b) section 3 (presumptions that food intended for human consumption);

(c) section 20 (offences due to fault of another person);

(d) section 21 (defence of due diligence), as it applies for the purposes of section 14 or 15;

(e) section 22 (defence of publication in the course of business);

(f) section 30(8) (which relates to documentary evidence);

(g) section 33 (obstruction etc. of officers);

(h) section 35(1) to (3) (punishment of offences) in so far as it relates to offences under section 33 as applied by sub-paragraph (g);

(i) section 36 (offences by bodies corporate); and

(j) section 36A (offences by Scottish partnerships).

(2) Section 44 (protection of officers acting in good faith) of the Act shall apply for the purposes of these Regulations and, unless the context otherwise requires, any reference to the Act in that section shall be construed for the purposes of these Regulations as including a reference to the [F12 specified] provisions.

Textual Amendments

F12 Word in reg. 7(2) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Food Composition, Labelling and Standards (EU Exit) (Scotland) (Amendment) Regulations 2019 (S.S.I. 2019/53), regs. 1(1), 4(5); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

Commencement Information

I7 Reg. 7 in force at 1.7.2008, see reg. 1(1)

Revocations S

8.  The following instruments are revoked–

(a) the Milk and Milk Products (Protection of Designations) (Scotland) Regulations 1990(6);

(b) the Spreadable Fats (Marketing Standards) (Scotland) Regulations 1999(7); and

(c) the Spreadable Fats (Marketing Standards) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2007(8).

Commencement Information

I8 Reg. 8 in force at 1.7.2008, see reg. 1(1)

[F13 Transitional provisions S

9.— (1) A product which was, or would have been, outside the scope of these Regulations by virtue of regulation 3, as it had effect immediately before 22 February 2022, is not subject to these Regulations until 1 October 2022.]

Textual Amendments

F13 Reg. 9 inserted (22.2.2022) by The Food (Withdrawal of Recognition) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 (S.S.I. 2021/477), regs. 1(1), 4(3)

S ROBISON

Authorised to sign by the Scottish Ministers

St Andrew’s House,

Edinburgh

3rd June 2008

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations, which extend to Scotland only, provide for the execution and enforcement of certain provisions of Council Regulation (EC) No. 1234/2007 establishing a common organisation of agricultural markets and on specific provisions for certain agricultural products (Single CMO Regulation) (“the Council Regulation”).

The Council Regulation repeals a number of other Community instruments and re-enacts their provisions without amendment. These Regulations provide for the enforcement of provisions formerly contained in two of the repealed Community instruments and formerly enforced in two separate statutory instruments. Those statutory instruments are now revoked (regulation 8).

The provisions of the Council Regulation include:

(a) the requirement that milk and milk products marketed for human consumption must comply with certain specifications as to names and composition (Article 114(1) and Annex XII); and

(b) the requirement that certain spreadable fats intended for human consumption must comply with specifications relating to their sales description, labelling and presentation, and use of terminology (Article 115 and Annex XV).

The provisions contained in the Council Regulation as regards spreadable fats are supplemented by Commission Regulation (EC) No. 445/2007.

These Regulations also–

(a) provide an exemption for spreadable fats imported from an EEA State other than a Member State (regulation 3(1));

(b) specify the required levels for certain vitamins in margarine (regulation 4), subject to an exemption for margarines brought into Scotland from elsewhere in the EEA or the UK that do not comply with national rules (regulation 3(2));

(c) designate the authorities responsible for enforcement of these Regulations and the Community Regulations mentioned above (regulation 5);

(d) create a summary offence of failing to comply with the requirements of these Regulations or the relevant Community provisions (regulation 6); and

(e) apply certain provisions of the Food Safety Act 1990 for the purposes of these Regulations (regulation 7).

No regulatory impact assessment has been prepared in relation to these Regulations as they have no impact on the cost of business.

(1)

1990 c. 16. Section 1(1) and (2) (definition of “food”) was substituted by the Food Safety Act 1990 (Amendment) Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/2990); section 6(4) was amended by paragraph 6 of Schedule 9 to the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994 (c. 40); sections 16(1), 17(2) and 48(1) were amended by paragraph 8 of Schedule 5 to the Food Standards Act 1999 (c. 28) (“the 1999 Act”); section 26(3) was amended by the 1999 Act, Schedule 6: amendments made by Schedule 5 to the 1999 Act which extend to Scotland shall be taken as pre commencement enactments for the purposes of the Scotland Act 1998 (c. 46) (“the 1998 Act”) by virtue of section 40(2) of the 1999 Act. The functions of the Secretary of State, in so far as exercisable within devolved competence, were transferred to the Scottish Ministers by virtue of section 53 of the 1998 Act. In so far as not so transferred, and insofar as relating to food (including drink) including the primary production of food those functions were transferred to the Scottish Ministers by the Scotland Act 1998 (Transfer of Functions to the Scottish Ministers etc.) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/849).

(2)

Section 48(4A) was inserted by section 40(1) of and Schedule 5, paragraph 21 to the 1999 Act.

(3)

O.J. No. L 31, 1.2.02, p.1 as amended by Regulation (EC) No. 1642/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council O.J. No. L 245, 29.9.03, Commission Regulation (EC) No. 575/2006 O.J. No. L 100, 8.4.06, p.3 and Commission Regulation (EC) No. 202/2008 O.J. No. L 60, 5.3.08, p.17.

(4)

O.J. No. L 106, 24.4.07, p.24.

(5)

O.J. No. L 299, 16.11.07, p.1, to which there are amendments not relevant to this instrument.

(6)

S.I. 1990/816, as amended by S.I. 1996/1499.

(7)

S.S.I. 1999/34, as amended by S.S.I. 2005/616 and 2007/303.

(8)

S.S.I. 2007/303.