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Financial, Corporate and General Crime Solicitors

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Food Safety & Hygiene

Food Safety & Hygiene

“BCL’s ‘extremely capable’ team is noted for its ‘clear strength in regulatory investigations’. ”

Legal 500

BCL’s food safety specialists have extensive experience in acting for a wide range of food businesses and individuals in the food sector, from multinational supermarkets and large restaurant groups operated by Michelin-starred chefs to smaller operations facing the attention of Environmental Health Officers.

There are myriad food safety laws controlling the production, distribution, packaging and sale of food with which businesses must comply. Our comprehensive experience covers issues including food safety, hygiene, hazard analysis and critical control points (“HACCP”), labelling, packaging, traceability and allergies.

If a business is faced with an investigation by a regulator, we provide practical, commercial and clear advice throughout the process. We advise regarding initial site inspections and investigative powers, enforcement notices (for example, Hygiene Improvement Notices and Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notices) and PACE interviews under caution.

We also advise regarding prosecutions for the numerous criminal offences which can be committed by companies and individuals. The recent inclusion of Food Safety offences in a Sentencing Council Definitive Guideline means that the potential penalties for non-compliance are now higher than ever before.

BCL has particular expertise in providing advice in challenging and time pressured situations. We are renowned for being involved in high profile matters with an associated public interest and are adept at providing early strategic advice in order to respond to such complex reputational emergencies, ensuring minimal damage to the business and its employees.

Contact the Team

  • +44 (0)20 7430 2277
  • law@bcl.com
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Richard Reichman

Partner

Our specialist team provides advice and representation to food business operators in areas such as:

  • Food safety and hygiene investigations, including the powers of Environmental Health Officers
  • Responding to enforcement notices, such as Hygiene Improvement Notices and Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notices
  • Requests to attend formal PACE interviews under caution
  • Product recalls of unsafe food
  • Prosecutions of companies and individuals

Related Services

Consumer Protection & Trading Standards

BCL provides prompt and commercial advice to businesses and individuals regarding consumer protection regulatory issues, such as product safety, product labelling, misleading marketing and other unfair trading practices, copyright infringement, pricing practices and underage sales.

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Health & Safety

BCL regularly advises organisations, directors and employees in the related areas of corporate manslaughter, health and safety, fire safety, and the environment, with particular expertise in fatal accidents and major disasters…

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Environmental Protection

BCL’s lawyers have experience in advising a variety of businesses and individuals regarding environmental issues, including waste management companies, recycling facilities, construction firms and oil refineries…

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Contact Us

  • Tel: +44 (0)20 7430 2277
    Fax: +44 (0)20 7430 1101
  • law@bcl.com
  • 51 Lincoln's Inn Fields
    London WC2A 3LZ

    DX 37981 Kingsway

Latest News & Insights

  • Tesco receives highest ever food safety fine of £7.56 million for out of date food offences – a regulatory compliance warning for all businesses
  • The FCA – flexing its muscles as prosecutor?
  • Online abuse of sports professionals: Is a change in criminal law needed to reduce offending?

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