Collective packaging is widely used in retail and wholesale in Europe. They are particularly important in the case of food, as they enable convenient and efficient transport and storage of food products. In order to ensure food safety and protect the health of consumers in Europe, there are rules on food packaging. Every entrepreneur should be familiar with them, regardless of whether he runs a food wholesale or retail sale.

What are collective packagings of products and what are they used for?

Product packaging, also sometimes known as transport packaging, is the packaging in which products are transported or stored prior to retail sale. A collective package is usually larger than a retail package and is designed to carry larger quantities of products at one time. It can be made of various materials, such as cardboard, wood or plastics, depending on the type of products and transport conditions.

A specific number of individual packages is placed in a collective package. This solution, in addition to improving transport, guarantees additional protection of the goods and facilitates the sale of the product on a larger scale, therefore it is often used in wholesalers and warehouses of the manufacturer. The method of transport and storage of collective packaging may vary, but it is usually possible, for example, to stack them.

Regulations - why are they important?

Proper storage of goods in collective packaging not only depends on the type of products and business activity, but has also been regulated by legal regulations. The storage, warehousing and transport of food is considered particularly sensitive, and the provisions are aimed at protecting food products.

Regulations on collective food packaging in Europe are aimed at ensuring proper food protection and consumer health protection by specifying requirements for the quality and safety of such packaging and supervision of their use. They are an important part of the general food legislation in Europe and are essential to ensure that the food available on the European market is safe for consumers. Proper storage of food products protects them from spoilage and loss of nutritional value.

Directive of the European Parliament

One of the main legal acts regulating food packaging in Europe is Directive 92/39/EEC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 June 1992 on packaging intended to come into contact with food (the Packaging Directive) [3]. This Directive lays down requirements for the quality and safety of packaging intended to come into contact with food, including requirements for the materials from which such packaging can be made and requirements for labeling and information that must be placed on packaging.

Other Sources of Regulations

The Bulk Packaging Directive is supported by other food packaging legislation in Europe, such as Regulation (EU) 10/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 January 2011 on materials and objects intended to come into contact with food. It specifies additional requirements for materials and objects intended for direct contact with food and applies to both individual and collective packaging.

In order to ensure compliance with the provisions on collective food packaging in Europe, EU Member States are obliged to set up systems for the supervision and control of collective food packaging on their territory. In Poland, for example, supervision over collective food packaging is exercised by the Agricultural and Food Quality Inspection.

In addition to EU regulations, there are also other norms and standards for collective food packaging in Europe, such as international ISO standards as well as national and industry standards.

Are the rules uniform across Europe?

The provisions on bulk food packaging are unified at the European Union level through the aforementioned Directive 92/39/EEC of the European Parliament and of the Council of June 16, 1992. It is a legal act in force throughout the European Union and applies in all EU countries. This means that the provisions on bulk food packaging are unified at the EU level and do not differ between individual countries.

This does not mean, however, that individual EU countries cannot have additional rules on bulk packaging of food. For example, some countries may have additional regulations regarding the labeling of bulk food packaging or compliance with certain norms and standards. In addition, some EU countries may have their own food packaging supervision and control systems that operate independently of the EU systems. In this case, these countries may have their own sanctions and penalties for non-compliance with the provisions on bulk packaging of food, in addition to the sanctions and penalties set out in EU legislation.

What threatens entrepreneurs for non-compliance with the provisions on collective packaging of food?

It is worth remembering that entrepreneurs who do not comply with the regulations on bulk food packaging may face various types of sanctions, depending on the country and the regulations in force in a given place.

In Poland, for example, entrepreneurs who do not comply with the provisions on collective packaging of food may be inspected by the Agricultural and Food Quality Inspection. In the event of irregularities, various types of penalties may be imposed on them, such as:

  • reminder,
  • improvement order,
  • fine,
  • ban on conducting business activity in the scope of irregularities,
  • cash penalty.

In other EU countries, sanctions for non-compliance with the provisions on collective packaging of food may be similar or different depending on the regulations in force there. That is why it is important to know the regulations in detail and to use the services of reliable and trusted companies involved in the production, distribution and storage of food.

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