Food Law

From the idea to the product: Legal advice in food law by SBS Legal lawyers

We provide comprehensive legal advice: from development to marketing. We advise our clients in all matters relating to food law. Compliance with regulations of food law is monitored in Germany equally by competitors, associations, consumer rights organizations and authorities. Food law therefore has many connecting points with administrative law as well as competition law. Food law is also a consumer protection law. Consequently, in-depth knowledge of the aforementioned legal fields is required for legally compliant marketing. Observation of the respective legal regulations is mandatory for the food enterprise: besides economic disadvantages (warnings and distribution prohibitions), a reputational loss is also frequently threatened in case of violations (for example, because of recalls).

Our clients

Our particular advising offer is addressed to food enterprises and those who want to be one: among our clients are start-ups offering their products in direct marketing as well as internationally operating contract manufacturers and food manufacturing corporations.

Our expertise

The specialized team of lawyers of the law firm SBS Legal is at the client’s side throughout the process, from the market analysis to products development and the marketing of the product. We have extensive experience and can rely on many years of experience, and on a network of cooperation partners with expertise in natural science.

We protect and defend products against complaints from third parties, in and out of court, and we enforce your right of fair competition with the help of the courts if need be. We represent you against supervisory authorities and public prosecutors in penalty and administrative fine proceedings.

The core areas of this discipline include in particular the following:

• Strategic market analysis
• Consulting on product development
• Review of ingredients directories (supplements, enzymes, aromas), novel food
• Marketability certificates
• Delineation from other categories, in particular pharmaceuticals
• Identification of the mandatory labelling (labels, distance selling)
• Consulting on advertising (e.g. “health claims”), competition and distribution
• Defense against warnings and complaints from authorities
• Support in crises, support for PR measures

How can we support you and your products? You are welcome to contact us regarding any and all questions of food law.