Commodities Act

If you produce, prepare or trade in food or other consumer products in the Netherlands, you must comply with the Commodities Act (Warenwet). This Act provides general rules on public health, product safety, fair trading and adequate information. The Commodities Act is linked to a large number of separate regulations and decrees that contain rules for specific foods and consumer products (in Dutch).

Labelling requirements

Alongside General Product Safety, there are also additional labelling requirements.

Safety inspections

The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (Netherlandse Voedsel- en Warenautoriteit, NVWA) inspects products to ensure companies adhere to safety regulations. If necessary, it can take measures such as issuing warnings, imposing fines or removing products from shops if there is a direct risk to public health.

Admission of new foods

If you are planning to introduce a novel food to the European market, you will have to apply for approval to the European Commission and the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports (ministerie van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport, VWS). The Dutch Medicines Evaluation Board (College ter Beoordeling van Geneesmiddelen, CBG) will assess the safety of the novel foods.

Violating the Commodities Act

The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (Nederlandse Voedsel en Waren Autoriteit, NVWA) can intervene and take measures in response to violations of the Commodities Act. For instance, NVWA can issue a warning or impose an administrative fine.