UK Food Related Acts

For a selection of additional proposed Act, published as Bills, see: UK Food Related Bills

2023

• Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023
  An Act to revoke certain retained EU law; to make provision relating to the interpretation of retained EU law and to its relationship with other law; to make provision relating to powers to modify retained EU law; to enable the restatement, replacement or updating of certain retained EU law; to enable the updating of restatements and replacement provision; to abolish the business impact target; and for connected purposes. [29th June 2023] See also: Explanatory Notes.
• Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023
  An Act to make provision about the release and marketing of, and risk assessments relating to, precision bred plants and animals, and the marketing of food and feed produced from such plants and animals; and for connected purposes. [23rd March 2023] See also: Explanatory Notes.

2022

• Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act
  An Act of the Scottish Parliament to require the Scottish Ministers to prepare and publish a national good food nation plan; to require certain authorities to prepare and publish their own good food nation plans; and to provide as to the effect of all of those plans. [26th July 2022] [Act of the Scottish Parliament] See also: Explanatory Notes.
• Health and Care Act 2022: Sections 172-174 and Schedule 18
  An Act to make provision about health and social care. [28th April 2022]
  Note: A small part of the Act (Sections 172-174 and Schedule 18) relates to powers to restrict advertising of food. The links provide access only to pdfs of these available on this site. Also note that the date of appllication of this power was altered by SI 2022 No. 1311.

2020

• European Union (Future Relationship) Act 2020
  An Act to make provision to implement, and make other provision in connection with, the Trade and Cooperation Agreement; to make further provision in connection with the United Kingdom's future relationship with the EU and its member States; to make related provision about passenger name record data, customs and privileges and immunities; and for connected purposes. [31st December 2020]
• United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020
  An Act to make provision in connection with the internal market for goods and services in the United Kingdom (including provision about the recognition of professional and other qualifications); to make provision in connection with provisions of the Northern Ireland Protocol relating to trade and state aid; to authorise the provision of financial assistance by Ministers of the Crown in connection with economic development, infrastructure, culture, sport and educational or training activities and exchanges; to make regulation of the provision of distortive or harmful subsidies a reserved or excepted matter; and for connected purposes. [17th December 2020] See also: Explanatory Notes
• Agriculture Act 2020
  An Act to authorise expenditure for certain agricultural and other purposes; to make provision about direct payments following the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union and about payments in response to exceptional market conditions affecting agricultural markets; to confer power to modify retained direct EU legislation relating to agricultural and rural development payments and public market intervention and private storage aid; to make provision about reports on food security; to make provision about the acquisition and use of information connected with food supply chains; to confer powers to make regulations about the imposition of obligations on business purchasers of agricultural products, marketing standards, organic products and the classification of carcasses; to make provision for reports relating to free trade agreements; to make provision for the recognition of associations of agricultural producers which may benefit from certain exemptions from competition law; to make provision about fertilisers; to make provision about the identification and traceability of animals; to make provision about red meat levy in Great Britain; to make provision about agricultural tenancies; to confer power to make regulations about securing compliance with the WTO Agreement on Agriculture. Royal Assent, 11th November 2020. This Act extends to the United Kingdom. See also: Explanatory Notes

2018

• European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018
  An Act to repeal the European Communities Act 1972 and make other provision in connection with the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU. See also: Explanatory Notes

2017

• Public Health (Wales) Act 2017
  An Act of the National Assembly for Wales to make provision … about fixed penalty receipts for food hygiene rating offences. [Note that this Act contains numerous provisions relating to public health. The provision for the use of penalty receipts, contianed in Part 9, is a very minor part and makes a small amendment to the Food Hygiene Rating (Wales) Act 2013]
• Finance Act 2017
  An Act to grant certain duties, to alter other duties, and to amend the law relating to thenational debt and the public revenue, and to make further provision in connection withfinance. [This Act introduced the Soft Drinks Industry Levy - See Sections 25-61]

2016

• Food Hygiene Rating Act (Northern Ireland) 2016
  An Act to provide for the operation of a food hygiene rating scheme in Northern Ireland. [An Act of the Northern Ireland Assembly]. [See also supporting Explanatory Notes.]

2015

• Food (Scotland) Act 2015
  An Act of the Scottish Parliament to establish Food Standards Scotland and make provision as to its functions; to amend the law in relation to food; to enable provision to be made in relation animal feeding stuffs; to make provision for administrative sanctions in relation to offences under the law in relation to food

2013

• Food Hygiene Rating (Wales) Act 2013
  An Act of the National Assembly for Wales to make provision for the production of food hygiene ratings of food business establishments; the display of information about food hygiene ratings; the enforcement of requirements to display information; and for connected purposes.

2001

• Product Liability (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2001
  An Act to amend Part II of the Consumer Protection (Northern Ireland) Order 1987

1999

• Food Standards Act (pdf file) / Food Standards Act 1999 (html version)
  An Act to establish the Food Standards Agency and make provision as to its functions; to amend the law relating to food safety and other interests of consumers in relation to food; to enable provision to be made in relation to the notification of tests for food-borne diseases; to enable provision to be made in relation to animal feedingstuffs; and for connected purposes.

1991

• The Food Safety (Northern Ireland) Order 1991 (SI 1991 No 762 (NI 7))
  [Note: Although not an “Act”, this Order provides the primary controls in Northern Ireland and is the NI equivalent to the Food Safety Act 1990]

1990

• Food Safety Act 1990
  An Act to make new provision in place of the Food Act 1984 (except Parts III and V), the Food and Drugs (Scotland) Act 1956 and certain other enactments relating to food; to amend Parts III and V of the said Act of 1984 and Part I of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985; and for connected purposes.
  For some important amendments, see also:
  • Food Standards Act 1999
  • 2004 No 2990 - Food Safety Act 1990 (Amendment) Regulations 2004
  • 2004 No 3279 - General Food Regulations 2004

1985

• Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 (pdf file)
  An Act the making in an emergency of orders specifying activities which are to be prohibited as a precaution against the consumption of food rendered unsuitable for human consumption in consequence of an escape of substances; to replace the Dumping at Sea Act 1974 with fresh provision for controlling the deposit of substances and articles in the sea; to make provision for the control of the deposit of substances and articles under the sea-bed; to regulate pesticides and substances, preparations and organisms prepared or used for the control of pests or for protection against pests; and for connected purposes.

1984

• Food Act 1984 (pdf file)
  An Act to consolidate the provisions of the Food and Drugs Acts 1955 to 1982, the Sugar Act 1956, the Food and Drugs (Milk) Act 1970, section 7(3) and (4) of the European Communities Act 1972, section 198 of the Local Government Act 1972 and Part IX of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, and connected provisions.

1976

• Weights and Measures Etc Act 1976 (pdf file)
  An Act to amend certain enactments relating to weights and measures; and to make provision for the alleviation of shortages of food and other goods

1968

• Trade Descriptions Act 1968 (pdf file)
  An Act to replace the Merchandise Marks Acts 1887 to 1953 by fresh provisions prohibiting misdescriptions of goods, services, accommodation and facilities provided in the course of trade; to prohibit false or misleading indications as to the price of goods; to confer power to require information or instructions relating to goods to be marked on or to accompany the goods or to be included in advertisements; to prohibit the unauthorised use of devices or emblems signifying royal awards; to enable the Parliament of Northern Ireland to make laws relating to merchandise marks; and for purposes connected with those matters.
  Note that some key aspects of this Act have ceased to have effect. See:
  • 2008 No 1277 - Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008

1955

• Food and Drugs Act 1955
  An Act to consolidate the Food and Drugs Act, 1938, the Food and Drugs (Milk, Dairies and Artificial Cream) Act, 1950, and the Food and Drugs Amendment Act, 1954, together with certain other enactments amending and supplementing Part V of the said Act of 1938 in relation to slaughterhouses and knackers' yards.
  Unofficial scanned copy (pdf files):
  • Arrangment of Sections
  • Pages 1-26
  • Pages 27-58
  • Pages 59-88
  • Pages 89-113 (Schedules)

1875

• Sale of Food and Drugs Act (pdf file)
  An Act to repeal the Adulteration of Food Acts, and to make better provision for the Sale of Food and Drugs in a pure state.

This page was first provided on 21 August 2001