LABELLING  OF PRE-PACKAGED F OODS REGULATIONS  
 
ARRANGEMENT OF REGULATIONS  
 
PART I  
 
Preliminary  
 
REGULATIONS  
 
1. Citation  
2. Interpretation  
 
PART II  
 
3. Scope  
4. Compliance  
5. Sale of unlabe lled pre-packaged food prohibited  
6. Pre-packaged food not to be described falsely  
7. Pre-packaged food to bear certain information  
8. List of ingredients  
9. Net content of pre -packaged food  
10. Name, address  and country of manufacturer to be declared  
11. Clear, prominent  statement  
12. Date marking instructions  
13. Storage condition  
14. Batch/Lot number  
15. Language  
16. Frozen food  
17. Directions for use  
18. Nutritional labelling  
19.  Display of information  not in conflict with mandatory requirements  
 
 
PART III  
Miscellaneous  
 
20. Penalty  
21. Forfeiture  
 
 
  
 
LABELLING  OF PRE-PACKAGED F OOD S REGULATIONS  
 
[LN….of…….]  
[Made under section 59]  
 
PART I  
 
Preliminary  
 
1. Citation  
 
These Regulations may be cited as Labelling of Pre -packaged Foods  Regulations.  
 
2. Interpretation  
 
1) In these Regulations, unless the on  text otherwise requires –  
 
"Address" means the manufacturer’s  corporate headquarters where the 
business of  manufacture, sale, distribution, storage and display of pre -
packaged food item is carried out which includes the house number, plot 
number, street n ame, town/city, state, Country, etc.  
                      "Authority " means Food Safety and Quality Authority  of The Gambia ; 
                      "Container" means any form of packaging of f ood for delivery as a 
single  
                    item, whether by c ompletely or p artially enclosing the food and i ncludes  
                    wrappers . A container may enclose several units or types of packages  
                    when such is offered to the consumer;  
                      "Act" means the  Food Safety and Quality  Act; 
                      "Food" means any article manufactured, sold or advertised for use as  
                    food or drink and includes drinking water, chewing gum, and such other  
                    ingredients as may be mixed with food for any purpose whatsoever  
                    including  supplements processed for addition to animal and poultry feeds;  
                      "Food Additives" means any substance not u sually consum ed as food 
by  
                    itself but used as an Ingredient of that food, whether or notit has  
                    nutritive value;  
                      "Ingredient" means any includes additives, used in themanufacture or  
                    preparation  of a food and pr esent in the final product although possibly  
                    in a modified form ; 
                      "Label" means any tag,  brand, mark, pictorial or other descriptive  
                      matter, wri tten, printed, stenciled, marked, embossed or impressed on, 
or                       attached to, a container of food ; 
                      "Label ling" includes any written, printed or graphic matter that is  
                      presented on the label, accompanies the food, or is displayed near the  
                      food, including that for the purpose of promoting its sale or disposal;  
 
 
 
 
                     "Pre-packaged" means pack aged or made up in advance in a container  
                   ready for offer to the consumer, or for catering purposes ; 
                     "Foods for catering purposes " means those foods for use in  
                   restaurants, canteens, schools, hospitals and similar institution were 
                   food is offered for immediate consumption;  
                     "Use by " (recommended last consumption date, expiration date)  
                   means th e date which signifies the end of the estimated  
                   period under any stated storage conditions, after which the product  
                   probably will not have the quality attributes normally expected by the 
                   consumers. After this date, the food shou ld not be regarded as  
                   marketable ; 
                     "Date of minimum durability " (best before ) means the  date which  
                   signifies the end of the period under any s tated storage conditions  
                   during  which the product  will remain fully marketable  and will retain any  
                   specific qualities for which tacit o r express claims have been made.  
                   
 
2) A word or expression used in these Regulations, which is defined in the 
Act, has the meaning given to it in the Act  
 
 
PART II  
 
3. Scope  
 
These Regulations applies to the labelling of all pre -packaged foods to be offered 
as such to the consumer or for catering purposes and to certain aspects relating 
to the presentation thereof.  
 
4. Compliance  
 
Prepackaged f ood for human consumption shall be in accordance with guides 
and s tandards set out in the schedule.  
 
5. Sale of unlabel led pre -packaged food prohibited  
           No person shall sell a pre -packa ged food unless a label has been affixed thereto.  
 
6. Prepackaged food not to be described falsely etc.  
 
A pre -packaged food shall not be described or  presented on any label:  
a) In a ma nner which is false, misleading, deceptive or is likely to create an 
erroneous  impression regarding its character, quality, quantity and origin;  
b) By words, pictorial or other means which refer  to any other product or 
suggests either directly  or indirectly, that the food is connected with  such 
other product.  
 
 
7. Pre-packaged food to bear certain information  
 
The label of a pre -packaged food shall be required to  bear the following 
information:  
a) The name  of the food item which shall indicate  the accurate nature of the 
food;  
b) Where a name has been established for the  food item, it shall be the only 
name used by  that food item;  
c) Where no name exists for a food item, an  appropriate descriptive name 
shall be affixed  thereto;  
d) Where a coined or fanciful name is used for  the food item, the name shall 
not be  misleading and shall be accompanied by an  appropriate descriptive 
term.  
 
8. List of Ingredients  
 
8(1) A complete list of ingredients used in preparing  the food item shall be 
declared on the label in  descending order of their proportion m/m,  except in the 
case of a dehydrated food item  intended to be reconstituted by the addition of  
potable water, in which case the ingredients  shall be in order of proportion in 
there constituted product.  
 
 (2) Where the ingredients of a food item have  more than one component, the 
name of the  components shall be included in the list of  ingredients.  
 
(3) Where the food item contains allergen it should be stated.  
 
9. Net Content of  pre-packaged food  
 
9(1) The average net content of every pre -packaged food item shall be declared 
in the  metric system.  
 (2) The declaration of the average net content of  the food item shall be required 
to be made in  the case of:  
a) liquid food in volume;  
b) solid food by weight and number or  count (where applicable);  
c) semi-solid or viscous food by weight or  volume.   
 
10. Name, Address and country of manufacturer  to be declared  
 
10 (1) The name and address of the manufacturer,  packer, distributor, importer , 
exporter or  vendor of a pre -packaged food shall be  specified on the label.  
 
(2) The country of the manufacturer of a prepackaged  food shall be specified 
on the label.  
 
(3) When a pre -packaged food item undergoes  any processing which affects 
its contents in  another country, such a country shall be  considered as the 
country of manufacture for the  purpose of labelling.  
 
 
11. Clear, prominent statements  
 
11 (1) Any statement required to appear on the label  of a food item shall be 
clear, prominent and  legible to the consumer and be of contrasting  color to 
that of the background.  
 
(2) No information shall be obscured by design or  by other written, printed or 
graphic matter  contained on the label.  
 
(3) The letters of the name of the food item and  the net content shall be of a 
size reasonably  related to the most printed matter on the lab el.  
 
(4) Where a pre -packaged food container is  covered by a wrapper, the 
wrapper shall carry  the required information and the label shall be  readily 
legible through the outer wrapper and  not be obscured by it.  
 
 
12.  Date marking instructions  
 
12 (1) For any pre -packaged food item, the date of  minimum durability shall be 
specified and  legibly displayed.  
 
(2)Where the date of minimum durability is  specified, it shall be prescribed by 
the words “Best  Before" or "Use by" or "Expiry" and shall be legibly 
displayed as prescribed by the  Authority .  
(3) Unless otherwise specified for pre -packaged food  items, the day, month 
and year of manufactures  hall be stated in an uncoded chronological order  on 
the label.  
 
(4) Notwithstanding regulation 12 (1) of these  regulations an indication of the 
date of minimum  durability shall not be required for:  
 
a) fresh fruits and vegetables, including  potatoes w hich have not been 
peeled, cut or similarly treated;  
b) beverages containing 10% or more by  volume of alcohol, with the 
exception of  alcoholic beverages containing degradable exotic 
substances;  
c) bakers’ or pastry -cooks wares which,  given the nature of their content, 
are normally consumed within 24 hours of  their manufacture;  
d) Vinegar;  
e) Food grade salt; and  
f) Solid sugars.  
 
 
13. Storage condition  
 
The required special storage conditions shall be  specified on the label.  
 
14. Batch /Lot number                       
 
The batch /lot number shall be indicated on the label of  all pre -packaged foods 
and food products.  
 
15. Language  
 
Any declaration required to be made under these  Regulations shall be in English 
language.  
 
16. Frozen food  
 
The form of freezing of a pre -packaged food item  shall be indicated on the label.  
 
17. Directions for use                  
 
Directions for use, including reconstitution, where  applicable, shall be included 
on the label to ensure  correct utilization of the food item.  
 
18.  Nutritional labeling   
18 (1) Any nutritional claim shall be justified expressly  on the label.  
 
(2) A nutrient labelling shall be mandatory for any  pre-packaged food item for 
which a nutrition  claim is made by the manufacturer.  
 
(3) Where nutrient declaration is applied, the  declaration of the following 
shall be  mandatory:  
a) Energy value;  
b) The amounts of protein, carbohydrate  (excluding dietary fiber) and fat;  
c) The amount of any other nutrient for  which a nutrient claim is made.  
 
(4) When nutrient labelling is applied, the amount  of vitamins and minerals 
considered to be of  negligible importance may not be listed.  
 
(5) The list of ingredients and the specification of  the quantities of certain 
nutrients on the label  as required by any enact ment or of any  regulations 
made there  under shall not  constitute a claim.  
 
 
19. Display of information etc not in conflict with mandatory requirements  
 
19 (1) Any information required to be displayed on a  label which misleads or 
deceives a consumer in  anyway shall constitute an offence under these  
Regulations.  
 
(2) No person shall remove, add to, alter, deface  or render illegible any 
statement upon a label  printed on or attached to a wrapper or container  in 
pursuance of these  Regulations.  
 
 
PART III  
 
Miscellaneous  
 
20. Penalty  
 
20 (1) A person who contravenes a provision of these  Regulations is guilty of an  
    offence and liable on conviction: -  
 
a) in the case of an individual, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 
two years or to a fine not exceeding …… or to both imprisonment and 
fine. 
b) In the case of body corporate, to a fine not  exceeding ……….   
              (2) Where an offence under these Regulations is  committed by a body  
              corporate or firm or other association of individuals: - 
 
a) every director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the 
body corporate; or  
b) every partner or officer of the firm; or  
c) every trustee of the body concerned; or  
d) every person concerned in the  management of the affairs of the 
association; or  
e) every person who was purporting to act in a capacity referred to in 
paragraphs (a) to (d), is severally guilty of that offence  and liable to 
be proceeded against and punished for that offence in the same 
manner as if ha d himself committed the offence unless he proves 
that the act or omission constituting  the offence took place without 
his knowledge, consent or  connivance.  
 
 
21.  Forfeiture  
 
In addition to the penalty specified in regulation  20 of these Regulations, a  
person convicted of  an offence under these Regulations shall  forfeit to the 
Authority  the food product and  whatsoever is used in connection with the  
          commission of the offence.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
SCHEDULE  
 
[Regulations……………]  
 
Guides and Standards for C ompliance  
 
1. Gambian S tandard  for the L abelling of Prepackaged F oods [Gams  Codex stan 1 -
1985]