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Merchandise Marks Acts, 1887-1926. 227 inspections of shops
were undertaken to ensure that the Marking Orders relating to
certain imported foodstuffs made under the Merchandise Marks
Act, 1926, were complied with. 1,104 separate displays of meat,
apples, tomatoes, poultry, dried fruit and butter were examined.
Verbal cautions were given in respect of minor infringements not
being found so serious as to warrant more stringent action. Four
summonses were issued against two retailers for failing to mark
certain imported foods with the prescribed indication of origin ;
convictions were recorded in every case. A fishmonger was summoned
for selling a mixture of cod and saithe falsely described on
the delivery ticket as " cod." He was convicted.
The Labelling of Food Order, 1953. This Order requires that,
in general, pre-packed foods shall bear on the label a clear statement
of the designation of the food and, in the case of compound foods,
the ingredients. It also requires that the name and address of the
packer or labeller appears. At 288 premises 915 articles of prepacked
food were examined. No proceedings were taken in respect
of any of the infringements detected and manufacturers took
immediate steps to correct unsatisfactory labels as soon as their
attention was drawn to them.
False or Misleading Descriptions. A considerable amount of
work is carried out each year in scrutinising advertisements and the
labelling of pre-packed food and taking such action as is possible
to secure satisfactory amendments in those cases where a label or
advertisement contains a false or misleading description of the
food to which it relates. During the year under review corrective
action has been taken in respect of cherry wine, biscuits, chocolate
Easter eggs, flour and sugar confectionery, imitation caviare,
black-currant punch, fruit juice drinks and creme de menthe.
Special Designated Milk. During the year in question one
licence was issued in respect of the use of the special designation
"Pasteurised" for milk processed within the Borough; a licence
also being issued for the same firm in respect of "Sterilised" milk.
The premises were inspected regularly and compliance with the
requirements of the Act or Regulations maintained in each case.
87 samples were taken, all of which were certified as being satisfactory.
Safe Milk. In addition to the foregoing, 33 samples of raw
milk were procured within the Borough and submitted to test for
the presence of tubercle bacilli. None was found contaminated.