On 30 April 2016, the Consumer Protection Act 2007 (Grocery Goods Undertakings) Regulations 2016 (the "Regulations") take effect. Designed to ensure fair and balanced dealings in the grocery goods supply chain, they apply to contracts for the sale or supply of certain prescribed classes of food and drink between suppliers and relevant retailers or wholesalers that are entered into or renewed on or after 30 April 2016.
On 18 March 2016, the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation published Guidelines which provide further information and guidance on the Regulations (the "Guidelines").
What is covered?
The Regulations apply to the following prescribed classes of grocery goods:
- food and drink for human consumption;
- additives, ingredients and processing aids in the preparation of food and drink for human consumption; and
- intoxicating liquors.
The Regulations do not apply to food or drink served in the course of providing hospitality services. They also do not apply to other classes of grocery goods such as toiletries, household cleaning products or garden plants and bulbs.
This article contains a general summary of developments and is not a complete or definitive statement of the law. Specific legal advice should be obtained where appropriate.
