Judgment: Authorities May Provide Information on Printing Chemicals - In BAV Newsletter 03/2014

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Jun 14, 2017 - Foods

Judgment: Authorities May Provide Information on Printing Chemicals - In BAV Newsletter 03/2014

According to investigations by the food authorities, certain substances in printing inks can migrate from the packaging into the food contained therein. The Higher Administrative Court of North Rhine-Westphalia has now ruled in favor of a consumer interest group that requested information on these so-called printing chemicals based on the Consumer Information Act. Providing information is permissible even if there is neither a violation of food law nor a health hazard to the consumer.

The Consumer Information Act grants a comprehensive right to information about the characteristics of products. Business or trade secrets do not oppose this right. Image damage and loss of sales are not legitimate confidentiality interests. However, in connection with the release of the information, the doubts expressed by the company about the accuracy of the transmitted data must also be communicated.
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