To protect consumers at large, the EU Directive 87/357/EEC prohibits the marketing, import and manufacture of products that look like foodstuffs but that in fact should not be eaten at all.
Food-imitating products are still being recalled after almost 40 years since its implementation, indicating a need to apply stricter regulations in this regard.
Food-Imitating Products and Their Risks
Products that look like foodstuffs, such as all products that have a form, odour, colour, appearance, packaging, labelling or size that closely resemble real foods, are prohibited under Directive 87/357/EEC.
Consumers, especially children, will confuse them with foodstuffs and place them in their mouths, or suck or ingest them, causing the following potential harms:
- suffocation
- food poisoning
- perforation
- body obstruction
All of these products have been recalled from the market and have been notified on SafetyGate (previously RAPEX).
New Regulation Implementation Timeline
The General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) (EU) 2023/988 that applies from 13 December 2024 and that repeals Directive 87/357/EEC now includes the same rule on food imitation products in Article 6(f)(i).
Source safe and quality food and beverages on our e-Marketplace today:
This article is originally published by ProductIP:
Caspar ter Horst – Managing Director, ProductIP
Caspar has 25+ years of experience in product compliance. In 2008, he co-founded ProductIP together with Maarten van der Dussen. Caspar and his team are dedicated to support companies within the supply chain to efficiently demonstrate to customers, authorities, and users that their products meet applicable legislation and buying requirements. As a result, helping companies reduce costs, streamline operations, manage suppliers, and at the same time put compliant, safer, more sustainable products to the market.
