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Trade and Industry Department The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Brand Hong Kong - Asia world city
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Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

e-mail address : tidenq@tid.gcn.gov.hk

Ref : EIC 230/4

12 October 2002

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 201/02

European Union (EU)* :Directive on Labelling of Foodstuffs Containing Quinine or Caffeine

The European Commission (EC) has adopted a Directive to make it compulsory to provide labelling on the presence of quinine or caffeine in foodstuffs. A copy of the Commission Directive 2002/67/EC is appended (pdf format) to this Circular for reference.

DETAILS

  1. Quinine and caffeine are used in the production or preparation of certain foodstuffs, either as a flavouring or, in the case of caffeine, as an ingredient. Some consumers (e.g. children and pregnant women) may wish to avoid foodstuffs containing quinine or caffeine. The EC's labelling requirements on these products aim at providing clear information to consumers and harmonising the different national laws currently in force in certain Member States. The following is a summary of the labelling requirements under the Directive:

    1. quinine and/or caffeine, when used as a flavouring in the production or preparation of a foodstuff, must be mentioned by name in the list of ingredients immediately after the term "flavouring";
       

    2. where a beverage (except those labelled as "coffee" or "tea") contains caffeine in a proportion in excess of 150 milligrams per litre, the message "high caffeine content" must appear on the label in the same field of vision as the name under which the product is sold. The message should be followed by the caffeine content expressed in milligram per 100 millilitres.

  2. With effect from 1 July 2004, Member States shall prohibit trade in products which do not comply with the requirements of the Directive except those labelled before this date.

ENQUIRIES

  1. For enquiries about the contents of this Circular, please contact the undersigned at telephone number 2398 5684.

 

Yours faithfully,

 

(Miss Sandra SOU)

for Director-General of Trade and Industry

* : The EU Member States are Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.



Note : While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the above information, the Department cannot guarantee this to be so and will not be held liable for any reliance placed on the same.