Section 9 – Marketing standards
124.This section provides for the Scottish Ministers to be able, by regulations subject to the affirmative procedure, to make provision about standards to which certain products listed in section 10(1) must conform when marketed in Scotland (see also section 12 below).
125.Subsection (2) provides that regulations made under this section may in particular include provision about the matters specified in this subsection. Those matters are a non-exclusive list of the types of standards to which the products may be subject. The list mirrors the types of marketing standards which may be established in EU law under the CMO Regulation. These matters may affect how products are marketed to consumers (for example, how they are described at the point of sale) or may impose requirements during production (for example, the type of production method used, or the use of specific substances in production).
126.Subsection (3) provides that regulations made under this section may provide for enforcement of the provisions of the regulations, including in particular in respect of the matters specified in this subsection which include the creation of offences and the imposition of monetary penalties. A monetary penalty is a civil penalty rather than a criminal fine.
127.Subsection (5) has the effect that the Scottish Minsters must consult such persons as they consider are representative of the interests of persons likely to be affected before laying a draft of a Scottish statutory instrument containing regulations under this section before the Scottish Parliament.
