Standards (Belize National Standard BZS1: Part 1: 1998) (Specification for Labelling - General principles) (Declaration as a Compulsory Standard) Order, 1999 (S.I. No. 116 of 1999)

No. 116] BELIZE: Standards STATUTORY INSTRUMENT No. 116 of 1999 ORDER made by the Minister of Industry and Commerce on the recommendation of the Bureau of Standards, in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by section 9(2) of the Standards Act (No. 4 of 1992), and all other powers thereunto him enabling. (Gazetted 16th October, 1999.) 1. This Order may be cited as the STANDARDS (BELIZE NATIONAL STANDARDS BZSl: PARTl: 1998) (SPECIFICATION FOR LABELLING - GENERAL PRINCIPLES) (DECLARATION AS A COMPULSORY ST AND ARD) ORDER, 1999. 2. I, JOSE COYE, Minister oflndustry and Commerce, in exercise of the powers conferred upon me by section 9(2) of the Standards Act (No. 4 of 1992), and all other powers thereunto me enabling, do hereby declare that the Belize National Standard (BZSl: PART 1: 1998: SPECIFICATION FOR LABELLING - GENERAL PRINCIPLES), the full text of which appears in the Schedule hereto shall, upon the commencement of this Order, become a compulsory standard. 3. The purpose of this compulsory standard is primarily to prevent fraud or deception arising from misleading advertising or labelling on any goods and to require that adequate information to be given to consumer and users. I Short title. Declaration of compulsory standard. Schedule. Purpose of compulsory standard. 2 Commencement. Standards [No. 116 4. This Order shall come into force on the 1st day of November, 1999. MADE by the Minister of Industry and Commerce this 1st day of October, 1999. (JOSE COYE) Minister of Industry & Commerce Printed in Belize by the Government Printer No. 116] Standards SCHEDULE (Paragraph 2) BELIZE NATIONAL STANDARDS BZS 1: Part 1: 1998 BELIZE NATIONAL STANDARD SPECIFICATION FOR LABELLING PART 1: June 1998 GENERAL PRINCIPLES BBS BELIZE BUREAU OF STANDARDS #53 Regent Street Belize City, Belize CENTRAL AMERICA 3 4 Standards [No. 116 BZS 1: Part 1:1998 CONTENTS Section Page 0 FOREWORD 4 1 SCOPE 4 2 DEFINITIONS 4 3 REQUIREMENTS 5 4 SUPPLEMENTARY STANDARDS 6 5 ADVICE ON LABELS 6 6 CONFLICT 6 No. 116] Standards 5 BZS 1: Part 1:1998 IMPORTANT NOTICE Belize Standards are subject to periodic review; and revisions will be published from time to time. If you wish to be notified of the next revision complete and return this label to: BELIZE BUREAU OF STANDARDS, DETACH HERE #53 REGENT STREET, P.O. BOX 1647, BELIZE CITY, BELIZE, C.A. THIS IS YOUR MAILING LABEL. PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY IN INK OR TYPE FULL ADDRESS BZSSTANDARD Organization: Individual: Title or Department: Address: 6 Standards [No. 116 BZS 1: Part 1:1998 BELIZE NATIONAL STANDARD SPECIFICATION FOR LABELLING PART 1: GENERAL PRINCIPLES 0 FOREWORD 0.1 This standard has been prepared to guide manufacturers and importers on the labelling considered necessary to give adequate information to purchasers for assessing the usefulness of goods. 0.2 These general principles may be used in preparing labels for goods of all kinds, and will be applied by the Bureau in other standards that will be prepared. 0.3 In the interest of harmonization of standards in the Caribbean Community, this standard is based on the following: BNS 5: Part 1: 1974 JS 1: Part 1: 1992 Standards Specification for Labelling of Commodities (General) Barbados National Standards Institute; Specification for the Labelling of Commodities Part 1: General Principles Jamaica Bureau of Standards; TTS 21 10 500: Part 1:1976 - Requirements for Labelling Part 1: General Principles Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards. 0.4 The labelling of other types or classes of goods is covered by other parts of this standard. No. 116] Standards 7 BZS 1: Part 1:1998 0.5 Standards for particular goods may also contain requirements for labelling. 1. SCOPE 1.1 This standard describes general labelling requirements for goods. It is applicable to all goods which are customarily labelled in the course of trade, except where more specific requirements are prescribed elsewhere. 2. DEFINITIONS For the purpose of this standard the following definitions shall apply: 2. l Country of Origin means the country where the nature or quality of goods was last changed to a significant extent, other than by packaging. 2.2 Goods means any commodity, article, product or thing which is the subject of trade or commerce. 2.3 Label means any brand, design, imprint, legend, mark, pictorial, symbol, tag, word or other descriptive matter, written, printed, stenciled, marked, embossed on or impressed on, attached to or affixed to, sold with, distributed with any goods. 2.4 Legible means the writing which can be read and understood without difficulty under the conditions in which the label is normally displayed to the consumer. 2.5 Manufacturer means the persons who manufactures, produces, processes, prepares, packages or prepackages any goods for retail sale or the person who sells any goods under a trade name controlled by that person. It also includes the importer. 2.6 Sell means to offer, expose, have in possession for sale or display in such a manner as to lead to a reasonable belief that the goods are intended for sale. 8 Standards [No. 116 BZS 1: Part 1:1998 2.7 Weight shall be interpreted as meaning the same as the term Mass in Physics. 3. REQUIREMENTS 3.1 A label affixed to, or marked on any goods or its external packing or referring to any goods shall conform with the following requirements. 3.1.1 It shall give a description of a good and shall provide adequate information to a potential purchaser enabling him to select the goods best suited to his needs. This information shall include the weight, volume, measurements, specification or size as applicable and shall give such accurate description of components of the goods as is necessary. 3 .1.2 It shall, if necessary, provide a purchaser with appropriate operating instructions and with information on care, maintenance and precautions in use. 3.1.3 It shall provide the name and postal address of the principal place of business of the manufacturer or packager of the goods enabling the manufacturer or supplier to be traced, and shall state the country of manufacture or origin. 3.1.4 It shall be legible and durable up to the point of sale, and where appropriate, during normal working life and use. 3.1.5 It shall not give false erroneous information to the identity of the producer or manufacturer. Note: The required information may be placed on one or more labels, or included on a card or leaflet, depending on the area available. the nature ofthe goods. and the amount ofinformation required. No. 116] Standards 9 BZS 1: Part 1:1998 3.1.6 It is the responsibility of any person who sells or distributes any goods to see that they are labelled as required by this standard. 3.1.7 The information to be included on the label of every container shall be in the English Language, clearly and prominently displayed, and readily legible under customary conditions of purchase and use. Information presented in other language shall be clearly separated from that in English. 4. SUPPLEMENTARY STANDARDS 4.1 Supplementary standards on the labelling of particular goods, groups of goods, or classes of goods will be declared as other parts of this standard. Note:Some of these garts may be declared as comgulsory standards. 5. ADVICE ON LABELS 5.1 The Belize Bureau of Standards shall approve labels as conforming to the requirements of this or to a particular supplementary standard, or to the provisions of any standard referring to the labelling or marking of particular goods. 6. CONFLICT 6.1 In the event of conflict between this standard and a supplementary standard the latter shall prevail. 6.2 In the event of conflict between the provisions of this standard and the provision of any Belize Standard referring to the labelling or marking of particular goods, the latter shall prevail.