Current status: Answered by Maree Todd on 31 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has plans to update the labelling requirement for honey products to prevent honey fraud.
There is currently no formal plan to review the labelling requirements within the Honey Regulations (Scotland) 2015. However, as the body with policy responsibility for these regulations, Food Standards Scotland continues to monitor the effectiveness and suitability of the legislation through communication with its stakeholders, such as Local Authorities, businesses and consumers, as well as discussions with other Scottish and UK Government departments.
It should be noted that FSS and the wider Scottish Government have a responsibility to conduct a formal post-implementation review within 10 years of the respective regulations coming into force. With regard to the Honey Regulations this is due to be factored into business planning at a point up to and including 2025.
While there is no evidence that any honey on sale in Scotland or in the UK is unsafe, it is a product that is frequently described as being at risk of fraud.
The volume of blended product required for the honey market and the availability of plausible adulterants (such as sugar syrup), in addition to the price premium associated with higher value honey products, mean that it is a realistic possibility that adulterated or misrepresented honey is present within world honey supplies.
Consumers or businesses who have concerns or suspicions around the authenticity and/or the mis-labelling of honey can report the circumstances to the Scottish Food Crime Hotline in partnership with Crimestoppers at 0800 028 7926, which is a free and anonymous service. They can also speak directly to trained staff at the Scottish Food Crime and Incidents Unit at Food Standards Scotland to discuss their concerns in the strictest of confidence via the [email protected].