The Food Information Regulation ("FIR") establishes the rules for the (basic) labelling of food in the European Union. A nutrition declaration, among other things, is mandatory.
On 12 November 2021, the European Commission authorised the placing on the market of frozen, dried and powder forms of Locusta migratoria (migratory locust) as a novel food.
A sound mark is a mark consisting exclusively of a sound or a combination of sounds. As of 2017, it is possible to represent sound marks by submitting an audio file in MP3 format to be included in the multimedia trademark register.
The Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC), an association representing the interests of champagne producers, sought an injunction in Spain requiring a chain of tapas bars to cease use of the name "CHAMPANILLO" on the grounds that it unlawfully evokes "Champagne", which is a protected designation of origin (PDO).
In proceedings involving two supermarket chains brought under the Unfair Competition Act for alleged unfair commercial practices, the Supreme Court ruled that the slogan "HOFER PREIS, ALLES ANDERE IST OVERPRICED" (Hofer price – Everything else is overpriced) constitutes blatant advertising – a promotional statement without any credibility or validity.
CBD products continue to be widely available. In November 2020, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled – for the first time – on the legality of CBD, clarifying in its judgment that CBD does not constitute a narcotic drug as defined in the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs; this is the case irrespective of whether the CBD is produced synthetically or obtained naturally from the hemp plant – and from which parts (seeds and leaves vs. flowering and fruiting tops) (CJEU 19 November 2020, C-663/18). This ruling also has legal consequences for cosmetics and foodstuffs.
The question of who bears responsibility for ensuring that food is labelled in compliance with the law is an issue of practical importance: Is it the manufacturer or the retailer?
Harmonised European Union legislation that imposes an obligation to indicate the country of origin or place of provenance of foods does not preclude Member States from adopting additional national legislation providing for additional mandatory particulars regarding the origin or provenance. However, certain conditions must be met. In particular, there must be an objectively proven link between certain qualities of the food and its origin or provenance.
Bottled "natural mineral water sourced from the ***-rock spring", marketed under the trade name "Babywasser" (Baby water), may not be described by the terms "high quality water" and "boiling not required" as this is self-evidently misleading.
In general, the "cumulation principle" applies with respect to administrative criminal law. If several administrative offences are committed, each individual violation is fined without there being an aggregated penalty.