Appeal a food labelling decision, improvement notice or UK geographical indication scheme decision
How to appeal a notice given for misleading your customers by a food regulator, inspector or trading standards officer, or a decision under the UK geographical indication schemes.
What you can appeal against
Food labelling decision or improvement notice
You can appeal against a food labelling decision or improvement notice issued by:
- Food Standards Agency
- Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
- trading standards
This may happen if they believe your menu, labels, packaging or advertising are misleading for customers.
UK geographical indication schemes decisions
You can appeal against decisions taken by the Defra Secretary of State under the UK’s geographical indication (GI) schemes. These decisions cover the registration, amendment and cancellation of GI protected names as part of the:
- agri-food GI scheme
- spirit drinks scheme
- aromatised wines GI scheme
- wine GI scheme
- traditional terms for wine scheme
Find further details including relevant legislation.
Time limits for appealing
You have 28 days to appeal after the regulator sends or gives you the notice.
If you miss the time limit, you can ask for more time to appeal. Explain why you’re late, and the tribunal will decide if it can still accept your case.
The tribunal
Your case will be dealt with by a tribunal in the General Regulatory Chamber.
The tribunal is independent of the government, and will listen to both sides of the argument before it reaches its decision.
If you or your witness or representative is outside the UK and wants to give live video or audio evidence, contact the tribunal to request it. Tell the tribunal what country you, the witness or representative is in and what type of evidence is being given. You must do this as soon as possible.
How to appeal
Complete the relevant General Regulatory Chamber (First-tier Tribunal) form.
Clearly say why you want to appeal against the decision.
Include any supporting documents, like the improvement notice.
Send the form to grc@justice.gov.uk or:
General Regulatory Chamber
HM Courts & Tribunals Service
PO Box 9300
Leicester
LE1 8DJ
Telephone: 0300 123 4504
Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm
Find out about call charges
Tribunal staff can explain how the process works, but they cannot give you legal advice.
What happens next
The tribunal will write to you explaining the next steps.
Find out more about General Regulatory Chamber hearings and decisions.
Legislation and rules
You can find the right to appeal in the Food Safety Act 1990 (section 37 and section 39).
The Act has been amended by the regulations below, which transferred appeals to the tribunal:
- Food Information Regulations 2014 (schedule 4, parts 3 and 4)
- Fish Labelling Regulations 2013 (regulation 8)
- Fruit Juices and Fruit Nectars (England) Regulations 2013 (regulation 18)
- Products Containing Meat etc (England) Regulations 2014 (regulation 7)
Read more detailed rules on how your case will be handled in the General Regulatory Chamber procedure rules.
Updates to this page
Published 19 December 2014Last updated 31 January 2024 + show all updates
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Updated the how to appeal section with a link to the General Regulatory Chamber (First-tier Tribunal) forms collection.
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Changed the telephone number of the GRC
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Added a new section covering the UK Geographical Indication schemes decisions, as well as updating the page title to reflect this.
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Update to include reference to The Products Containing Meat etc (England) Regulations 2014
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First published.