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Section 8: Sale etc. of unfit food.

Food Act 1984 · 1984 c. 30View on legislation.gov.uk

Part I: Food Generally

A person who—

sells, or offers or exposes for sale, or has in his possession for the purpose of sale or of preparation for sale, or
deposits with, or consigns to, any person for the purpose of sale or of preparation for sale,

any food intended for, but unfit for, human consumption is guilty of an offence, subject to subsection (3).

Where food in respect of which an offence under paragraph (a) of subsection (1) has been committed was sold to the offender by some other person, that person is also guilty of an offence, subject to subsection (3).

Where a person is charged with an offence under paragraph (b) of subsection (1), or under subsection (2), it is a defence for him to prove either—

that he gave notice to the person with whom he deposited, or to whom he consigned or sold, the food in question that it was not intended for human consumption; or
that, at the time when he delivered or despatched it to that person, either it was fit for human consumption or he did not know, and could not with reasonable diligence have ascertained, that it was unfit for human consumption.

If a person licensed under section 1 of the Slaughterhouses Act 1974 to keep a slaughterhouse is convicted of an offence under this section, the court may cancel his licence, in addition to any other punishment.

The justice of the peace before whom any food is brought under section 9 may, but need not, be a member of the court before which a person is charged with an offence under this section in relation to that food.

About this text

This legislation text comes from legislation.gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. These source and reuse terms cover the legislation text, not Remedy's commentary.

Reuse reviewed 21 August 2026 under Open Government Licence v3.0.