Welcome to RPC Bites. Our aim in the next 2 minutes is to provide you with a flavour of some key legal, regulatory and commercial developments in the Food & Drink sector over the last fortnight. with the occasional bit of industry gossip thrown in for good measure. Enjoy!!
Access the full edition of RPC Bites here.
Breaking News - Colin the
Just two days ago,
Extended responsibility for packaging producers
Set to launch in
When the Scheme was first introduced in 2019, the estimated cost for packaging producers was Ł1.1bn. However, two years on and this has shot up to Ł2.7bn with retail, supermarket and packaging experts raising concerns that even this increased figure is not the true top-end cost. Initially, the Scheme was also expected to incur costs for wholesalers via the inclusion of a wholesaler obligation, but in a recent move championed by the
DEFRA's consultation on the operation of the Scheme including its design, governance and enforcement is open for 10 weeks, closing on
The Scheme comes hot on the heels of other Government initiatives to curb plastic usage including the deposit return scheme for drink containers (further details here), and the Ł200/tonne tax on plastic packaging containing less than 30% recycled material (further information here). Together, these initiatives are likely to have a significant impact on packaging as we know it. Read more.
Mountain top whisky consumption is too risky for the ASA
The CAP Code prohibits alcohol from being linked with activities or locations in which drinking would be unsafe and adverts must not imply that any such activities were undertaken after alcohol consumption. The complainant therefore contended that RR Whisky's pairing of alcohol with a mountain setting was unsafe and/or irresponsible.
Whilst RR Whisky agreed that it had inadvertently implied that the whisky tasting referred to in the ads took place at 3500 feet, it argued that the tasting had in fact occurred in the car park after the walk so the ads did not suggest that alcohol was being consumed in a dangerous location.
Even though neither advert explicitly depicted alcohol being consumed on the mountain, the ASA considered that the combination of the imagery of people mountaineering, whisky being poured and people standing with whisky tumblers in hand along with references to 3500 feet would give a "strong impression" to consumers that the alcohol was consumed on the mountain and thus the ads were in breach of the Code.
It's back to the drawing board for RR Whisky as both ads were banned from being shown in their current form and the brand was told to ensure that any future ads do not link alcohol with activities or locations that would make its consumption unsafe. Read more.
Catch limits finally agreed for
Readers will remember that the future of the EU's access to
Last month, it was announced that the tripartite negotiations between the
The Government estimates the value of the agreed 2021 catch levels at Ł184m. The total permittable catch for all stocks bar haddock and whiting is a reduction from previously agreed limits.
This will be welcome news for businesses that rely on a reliable source of seafood, as well as to environmentalists who have expressed concern about depleting stocks of fish.
To
Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, it is a criminal offence to allow an animal to suffer unnecessarily, or to fail to provide for an animal's welfare. This means animals must be protected from suffering and disease and be provided with a suitable diet. Foie gras is traditionally made by force feedings ducks / geese to enlarge their livers. As a result, its production has been illegal in the
That being said, luxury restaurateurs have continued to serve the delicacy by using a loophole that allows for the sale of imported foie gras, produced outside the
As such, DEFRA has confirmed that the practice of producing foie gras remains banned in the
The humble choccy biccy may be saved from EHC requirements
In issue 27 of RPC Bites (here) we discussed the possibility that certain composite food products could lose their exempt status come
Whilst we are still awaiting a concrete answer from the EU regarding which additional composite products will require EHCs from
Although the position remains uncertain, what we do know is that the EU is undergoing a complete overhaul of the EHC system so we should be prepared for changes to be announced any day now. Stay tuned to RPC Bites for important updates on this topic. Read more.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
Chichester House
278-282 High Holborn
WC1V 7HA
© Mondaq Ltd, 2021 - Tel. +44 (0)20 8544 8300 - http://www.mondaq.com, source