Specific requirements as to quantity marking
8.—(1) Packages containing liquid products shall be marked with the nominal quantity by volume and packages containing other products shall be marked with the nominal quantity by weight except where the law provides otherwise or, in the absence of a legal requirement, trade practice provides otherwise.
(2) Where a package containing a solid foodstuff presented in a liquid medium (as defined by Article 8(4) of Directive 2000/13/EC(1)) is marked with the net drained weight then that is to be treated as the nominal quantity.
(3) Information as to the nominal quantity shall be marked in accordance with the following requirements:
(a)the nominal quantity shall be expressed in the permitted metric units (except for milk in returnable packages where it may be expressed in pints) with the numerical value expressed in figures followed by the unit of measurement expressed in words or the relevant permitted symbol;
(b)the permitted metric units and their symbols are:
| Unit of measurement (metric) | symbol |
|---|---|
| kilogram | kg |
| gram | g |
| litre | l or L |
| centilitre | cl or cL |
| millilitre | ml or mL |
(c)a quantity (other than a fraction of a pint) shall not be expressed as a vulgar fraction;
(d)the figures and words or symbols in which the nominal quantity is marked shall be of the following minimum height:
| Nominal quantity and unit of measurement | Minimum height of words or figures |
|---|---|
| exceeding 1 kg | 6 mm |
| exceeding 200 g but not exceeding 1 kg | 4 mm |
| exceeding 50 g but not exceeding 200 g | 3 mm |
| not exceeding 50 g | 2 mm |
| exceeding 1 L | 6 mm |
| exceeding 20 cl but not exceeding 1 L | 4 mm |
| exceeding 5 cl but not exceeding 20 cl | 3 mm |
| not exceeding 5 cl | 2 mm |
(e)where milk is supplied in a returnable container with the nominal quantity expressed in pints, it may additionally be marked with an indication of the nominal quantity expressed in metric units in accordance with this regulation, which indication shall not be more prominent (and in particular the figures and words or symbols shall not be larger) than the indication of the nominal quantity in pints;
(f)any supplementary indications in imperial units allowed by section 8(5A) of the 1985 Act(2) shall be expressed in the permitted imperial units with the numerical value expressed in figures followed by the unit of measurement expressed in words or the relevant permitted abbreviation and shall not be more prominent (and in particular the figures and words or abbreviations shall not be larger) than the metric indication;
(g)the permitted imperial units and their abbreviations are:
| Unit of measurement (imperial) | abbreviation |
|---|---|
| gallon | gal |
| quart | qt |
| pint | pt |
| fluid ounce | fl oz |
| pound | lb |
| ounce | oz |
(h)if the word “net” is used it shall not be abbreviated.
Directive 2000/13/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 March 2000 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs (OJ L109, 6/5/200 p.29).
Section 8(5A) was inserted by S.I.1994/2867 and amended by S.I. 2001/55.