All Legislation
Consumer Protection
c. 16
England & Wales
Food Safety Act 1990
View on legislation.gov.ukThis page mainly applies to England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland may have different rules — check the jurisdiction before relying on this information.
Last amended by Food Standards Act 1999 in 1999. Created the Food Standards Agency.
Independent editorial summary — not the official statute text. Read the official version on legislation.gov.uk.
Summary
The Food Safety Act 1990 provides the framework for food safety regulation in England and Wales. It creates offences for selling food that is unfit, injurious to health, or not of the nature, substance, or quality demanded, and provides enforcement powers for local authorities and the Food Standards Agency.
Key Points
- Offence to sell food that does not comply with food safety requirements (s.8)
- Offence to sell food not of the nature, substance, or quality demanded (s.14)
- Offence to falsely describe or present food (s.15)
- Due diligence defence — reasonable precautions and all due diligence (s.21)
- Improvement and prohibition notices — enforcement powers for inspectors
- Emergency prohibition orders for immediate closure of food premises
- Offences of selling unsafe or sub-standard food
- Due diligence defence
- Environmental health enforcement
- Food Standards Agency oversight
Parts & Sections
Amendments History
1999 — Food Standards Act 1999
Created the Food Standards Agency.