South Australian Consolidated Acts

FOOD ACT 2001 - SECT 15

15—False description of food

        (1)         A person must not cause food intended for sale to be falsely described if the person knows that a consumer of the food who relies on the description will, or is likely to, suffer physical harm.

Maximum penalty:

            (a)         If the offender is a body corporate—$500 000.

            (b)         If the offender is a natural person—$100 000 or imprisonment for four years.

        (2)         A person must not cause food intended for sale to be falsely described if the person ought reasonably to know that a consumer of the food who relies on the description is likely to suffer physical harm.

Maximum penalty:

            (a)         If the offender is a body corporate—$375 000.

            (b)         If the offender is a natural person—$75 000.

        (3)         A person must not sell food that the person knows—

            (a)         is falsely described; and

            (b)         will cause, or is likely to cause, physical harm to a consumer of the food who relies on the description.

Maximum penalty:

            (a)         If the offender is a body corporate—$500 000.

            (b)         If the offender is a natural person—$100 000 or imprisonment for four years.

        (4)         A person must not sell food that the person ought reasonably to know—

            (a)         is falsely described; and

            (b)         is likely to cause physical harm to a consumer of the food who relies on the description.

Maximum penalty:

            (a)         If the offender is a body corporate—$375 000.

            (b)         If the offender is a natural person—$75 000.

Note—

Examples of food that is falsely described are contained in section 22.