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it controls the manner in which the presence of vitamins and minerals is disclosed and prescribes
specific labelling of certain foods. A total of 818 articles of prepacked food was examined at
134 different premises to verify compliance with these Regulations. Only minor infringements of
the Order were discovered, although as to false or misleading labelling, see below.
Merchandise Marks Acts, 1887 - 1953. The maj ority of the inspection work carried out under the
provisions of the above Acts is to ensure compliance with the requirements of the various Marking
Orders made under the provisions of the Act of 1926. These Orders apply to the marking of the
country of origin on imported foodstuffs, principally meat, apples, tomatoes, dried fruits, bacon,
ham, poultry, butter and honey, upon sale and exposure for sale. Inspections were made at 383
premises of 1,709 displays of these foodstuffs, and minor infringements detected were dealt with
by verbal cautions.
Meat and Poultry. A firm of retail butchers was summoned for exposing for sale Argentine lamb
falsely described as '"New Zealand". They were fined a total of £75.0s.0d. and £10.10s.0d.
costs. Further summonses against the company's servant for removing the brands indicatingthe
country of origin resulted in a fine of £30.0s,0d. Another firm of butchers was summoned for
exposing for sale Argentine beef falsely described as Scotch" and English*. Fines totalling
£15.0s.0d and £3.3s.0d. costs were inflicted. The company was also summoned for exposing
for sale Argentine beef and liver not marked with country of origin. For these offences fines of
£15.0s.Qd. and £3.3s.0d. costs were given. Official cautions were sent to two firms of butchers
for failing to mark with an indication of the country of origin imported beef, offals and turkeys.
Preserves. The false trade description of weight 5 kilos" was applied to prepacked apricot
pulp supplied to the school canteen of St. Ignatius Roman Catholic School. The description was
applied by the importers as "nominal" 5 kilos. There is no obligation to mark the weight on this
type of pack intended for catering use, and an official caution was sent to the wholesale merchants
responsible.
False and Misleading Descriptions Food advertisements and labels have been scrutinised for
false and misleading statements and descriptions. Corrective action taken within the whole area
of the County has equal effect within each County district, and work under this heading is combined
with inspections made under the terms of the Merchandise Marks Acts and the Labelling of Food
Order.
A large confectionery manufacturer advertised one of its products in a manner suggesting
considerably increased weight. The actual increase was small, and the advertisement was
immediately withdrawn upon the issue of an official caution.
Examples where corrective action was sought are set out as follows -
The percentage fat content marking on Continental Cheeses when set out as a percentage
"I.D.M.", changed to a comprehensible statement of Fat on the dry matter".
A Continental biscuit marked as "Cheese Filled", which contained a filling only 20percent
cheese.
Such descriptions of Continental soft cheeses as Super-Creme", "Triple-Creme" and
"Cream" etc., amended to indicate the true nature of the product, i.e., whole-milk cheese,
cheese spread, etc.
Rice puddings marked as "Creamed Rice", fruit syrups" labelled as fruit "juices", a
"Seedless Fig Bar* which was found to contain crushed seeds, and cheese spreads described as
"processed cheese".