Labelling regulations

[Sutty]

I passed through the Christmas markets in Manchester yesterday evening. There was a stall selling honey and beeswax items.
Very (?too) competitive prices I thought on seeing 12oz jars of chunk honey at £6.50.
One item that they had was labelled "Lemon infused honey", out of curiosity is this within the labelling regulations? I can't see my much wrong with it personally, but some posts on the forum make me think this isn't allowed

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

The Honey Regs 2015 state in
'PART 4
Additional labelling requirements
(5) The product name of a relevant honey may be supplemented by information relating to its specific quality criteria.'

This clause (IMO) allows a description like the one you mention, but would not allow something like' natural' or 'raw' because ALL honey has (or should have) these qualities.

 

[rusper]

I passed through the Christmas markets in Manchester yesterday evening. There was a stall selling honey and beeswax items.
Very (?too) competitive prices I thought on seeing 12oz jars of chunk honey at £6.50.
One item that they had was labelled "Lemon infused honey", out of curiosity is this within the labelling regulations? I can't see my much wrong with it personally, but some posts on the forum make me think this isn't allowed

I would have thought that it is now not honey and therefore not covered by the honey regulations. It is now a foodstuff containing honey, but I could be wrong!

 

[Erichalfbee]

I would have thought that it is now not honey and therefore not covered by the honey regulations. It is now a foodstuff containing honey, but I could be wrong!

You are right and the labelling regulations are more onerous

 

[pargyle]

The Honey Regs 2015 state in
'PART 4
Additional labelling requirements
(5) The product name of a relevant honey may be supplemented by information relating to its specific quality criteria.'

This clause (IMO) allows a description like the one you mention, but would not allow something like' natural' or 'raw' because ALL honey has (or should have) these qualities.

We've been here many times before ... the honey labelling regulations are open to interpretation by the local weights and measures ... which vary enormously from area to area.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes but once you add something it falls outside the honey regs, yes?

 

[PeaBee]

I would have thought that it is now not honey and therefore not covered by the honey regulations. It is now a foodstuff containing honey, but I could be wrong!

Spot on. And will need all the info required by food not covered by its own regs ( eg honey, eggs etc).

 

[PeaBee]

Yes but once you add something it falls outside the honey regs, yes?

Yes Honey regs are just for honey and not food containing honey. Put somthing else in the jar and you need to comply with the information to the consumer regs

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Yes but once you add something it falls outside the honey regs, yes?

yes, it then loses the exemptions honey enjoys thus all the ingredients/composition etc. must be listed as it is not 'just honey'

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

snap!!

 

[BeeKeyPlayer]

Yes but once you add something it falls outside the honey regs, yes?

Thanks, I'd not clocked that.

 

[pargyle]

Yes but once you add something it falls outside the honey regs, yes?

Yes, it then comes under the general food regulations as a processed product - much more stringent in every respect. (although I still see loads of home producers at craft and farmers markets who have clearly never even read the regulations let alone taken heed. I saw pickled onions being sold at a street market a week or two ago that were in re-used jars which even had the original jam jar lids on them !! I don't know how they get away with it .. the label just said 'Pickled onions' - didn't seem to be stopping some people buying them though,

 

[North End Bees]

Yes but once you add something it falls outside the honey regs, yes?

It also falls outside your beekeeper's public liability insurance which only covers hive products, i.e honey, wax, propolis.
So if someone gets food poisoning or some other reaction you have no insurance.

 

[pargyle]

It also falls outside your beekeeper's public liability insurance which only covers hive products, i.e honey, wax, propolis.
So if someone gets food poisoning or some other reaction you have no insurance.

MInd you ... having seen some things for sale at craft fairs and farmers markets I wonder whether some of the sellers have ANY insurance. Most legitimate markets these days insist on having sight of the traders public liability - some insist on it being on display.

 

[Newbeeneil]

It also falls outside your beekeeper's public liability insurance which only covers hive products, i.e honey, wax, propolis.

So if propolis was sold in alcohol that would also not be covered…..

 

[pargyle]

So if propolis was sold in alcohol that would also not be covered…..

Not sure .. you could probably argue that the alcohol was only a carrier and the active ingredient is the product of the hive. Would I trust an insurance company not to twist, turn and wriggle if they were faced with a big payout ? Probably not ...

 

[North End Bees]

So if propolis was sold in alcohol that would also not be covered…..

That's an interesting one.
And if it were allowed with the alcohol as a carrier, you would probably have to specify for external use only.
Some people use it for gingivitis, etc. I can imagine what that would make their teeth look like!

 

[JamezF]

So if propolis was sold in alcohol that would also not be covered…..

On the positive side, I doubt too many people will be drinking it neat.

James

 

[Wilco]

So if propolis was sold in alcohol that would also not be covered…..

If it was sold in alcohol I presume you'd need an alcohol licence.

 

[robinharman]

No longer honey, therefore not covered by Honey Regs or BBKA insurance.
Local food inspector loved my lemon and turmeric infusions.

https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/274578121/?icid=ghsandapp_ghs_pdp_share