The Milk Labelling (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 1990

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations, which apply to Scotland only, further amend the Milk Labelling (Scotland) Regulations 1983 (“the principal Regulations”). They implement in part Articles 3(1)(4) and 9a of Council Directive No 79/112/EEC (OJ No L33, 8.2.79, p.1) on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs, as last amended by Council Directive No 89/395/EEC (OJ No L186, 30.6.89, p.17).

The Regulations delete national provisions permitting the use of a “sell by” date and introduce provisions requiring a “use by” date in certain circumstances (regulations 3, 5 and 6). In addition the Regulations remove the requirement that milk be labelled with the name and address of the packaging dairy and provide for milk to be labelled with the name and address of the producer, packer or seller (regulation 4). New offences are introduced for selling milk bearing an expired “use by” date and for anyone other than the person originally responsible for the date mark to change it (regulation 7).

The Regulations come into force on 1st January 1991. The existing provisions permitting the use of “sell by” are not revoked until 1st July 1991 thus permitting their continuance until the end of June 1991.