Requirements Regarding the Provision of Information on Non-prepacked Food

Issued pursuant to
Section 13, Paragraph three, Clause 2
of the Law on the Supervision of the Handling of Food

1. The Regulation prescribes the requirements regarding the provision of information on non-prepacked food.

2. Non-prepacked food is food which is offered for sale to the final consumer or a public catering undertaking without prepackaging or where foods are packaged on the sales premises at the consumer's request, and also prepacked for direct sale in accordance with Article 44 of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2011 on the provision of food information to consumers, amending Regulations (EC) No 1924/2006 and (EC) No 1925/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council, and repealing Commission Directive 87/250/EEC, Council Directive 90/496/EEC, Commission Directive 1999/10/EC, Directive 2000/13/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, Commission Directives 2002/67/EC and 2008/5/EC and Commission Regulation (EC) No 608/2004 (hereinafter - Regulation No 1169/2011).

3. The following information shall be provided on non-prepacked food which is offered without packaging:

3.1. the name of the product;

3.2. the list of ingredients;

3.3. the substances or products causing allergies or intolerances as defined in Article 9(1)(c) of Regulation No 1169/2011;

3.4. the date of minimum durability or, if the product is perishable, a notice with the 'use by' date;

3.5. any special storage conditions and conditions of use, if necessary;

3.6. the food establishment (name and address) or the natural person (given name, surname) responsible for the information provided on the labelling of the product;

3.7. the country of origin or place of provenance in accordance with the requirements of the directly applicable legal acts of the European Union;

3.8. with respect to beverages containing more than 1.2 % by volume of alcohol - the actual alcoholic strength by volume.

4. The information on the substances or products referred to in Sub-paragraph 3.3 of this Regulation shall be indicated in writing in accordance with the requirements referred to in Annex II and Article 21(1)(b) of Regulation No 1169/2011.

5. The substances or products referred to in Sub-paragraph 3.3 of this Regulation need not be indicated if there is a clear reference to the relevant substance or product in the name of the product.

6. The information referred to in Sub-paragraphs 3.2, 3.5, 3.6, and 3.8 of this Regulation may be provided in oral form if the following requirements are complied with:

6.1. clearly visible, legible, and indelible written indication as to where and in what way the information referred to in Sub-paragraphs 3.2, 3.5, 3.6, and 3.8 of this Regulation can be received is placed at the food distribution site;

6.2. the information is provided, without delay and without additional charge, at the distribution site at the consumer's request prior to the purchase of the product.

7. If food is packaged at the sales premises at the consumer's request or prepacked for direct sale by attaching a label on the packaging, at least the following information shall be indicated therein:

7.1. the name of the food product;

7.2. the substances or products causing allergies or intolerances as defined in Article 9(1)(c) of Regulation No 1169/2011;

7.3. the date of minimum durability or, if the product is perishable, a notice with the 'use by' date;

7.4. the net quantity;

7.5. with respect to beverages containing more than 1.2 % by volume of alcohol - the actual alcoholic strength by volume.

8. The requirements referred to in Paragraph 7 of this Regulation shall not apply to:

8.1. street stalls and sales premises to which the status of a market has been granted;

8.2. sales premises where it is possible to print out a limited number of characters due to the technical capabilities of the scales or cash register;

8.3. food which is inserted in any type of packaging by the consumer himself or herself at the sales premises.

9. In the cases referred to in Paragraph 8 of this Regulation, information on the substances or products causing allergies or intolerances as defined in Article 9(1)(c) of Regulation No 1169/2011 shall be provided in oral form in compliance with the following requirements:

9.1. clearly visible, legible, and indelible written indication as to where and in what way this information can be received is placed at the food distribution site;

9.2. the information is provided, without delay and without additional charge, at the distribution site upon at the consumer's request prior to the purchase of the product.

10. The requirements referred to in Sub-paragraphs 3.4, 3.6, 3.7, and 7.4 of this Regulation need not be applied by public catering undertakings unless it has been laid down otherwise in the laws and regulations governing the food chain.

11. Unless it has been laid down otherwise in other laws and regulations governing the food chain, the nutrition declaration may be indicated in one of the following ways:

11.1. as energy value;

11.2. as energy value and the amounts of fat, saturates, sugars, and salt;

11.3. as energy value and the amounts of fat, saturates, carbohydrate, sugars, protein, and salt.

12. The information referred to in Paragraph 11 of this Regulation shall be provided in accordance with Article 36(1) and (2) and Article 37 of Regulation No 1169/2011.

13. If non-prepacked food is distributed through distance selling, the information referred to in Paragraph 3 and Sub-paragraph 7.4 of this Regulation shall be indicated in the appended documents or in another appropriate way, also clearly indicating the food business operator:

13.1. prior to the purchase of the product - the mandatory information referred to in Paragraph 3 (except for Sub-paragraph 3.4) and Sub-paragraph 7.4 of this Regulation;

13.2. at the moment of delivery - all the information referred to in Paragraph 3 and Sub-paragraph 7.4 of this Regulation.

14. For non-prepacked food information on the lot of food products (a group of units of food products manufactured, made, or packaged in almost identical conditions which are intended for selling) shall be indicated on the external packaging or vessel, or, if there is none, in the relevant accompanying documents.

15. The indication to the lot of food products shall start with the letter "L", unless such indication is clearly distinguishable from other indications on the labelling.

16. The lot of food products shall not be indicated:

16.1. for agricultural products which after obtaining:

16.1.1. are sold or delivered to temporary storage, preparation, or packaging stations;

16.1.2. are transported to the food establishment;

16.1.3. are collected to treat or process immediately;

16.2. for non-prepacked food;

16.3. if the date of minimum durability or a notice with the 'use by' date is indicated on the labelling of food products.

Informative Reference to European Union Directive

The Regulation contains legal norms arising from Directive 2011/91/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 December 2011 on indications or marks identifying the lot to which a foodstuff belongs.

Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma

Minister for Agriculture Jānis Dūklavs

Translation © 2021 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre)