Food

The following list contains general guidelines for listing food items on eBay.

Legislation and Regulations

The sale of food is heavily regulated and users that list food and food-related products should familiarise themselves with all relevant laws before listing such items on eBay.

For example, there are laws that regulate, amongst other things, the use in food of additives, colouring, sweeteners and flavourings. Also certain foods have additional specific regulations to which one must adhere. Further legislation requires food labels to state, amongst other things, the food's name, the food's ingredients, any special storage conditions, and the place of manufacture. There are also restrictions on the import and export of many food products. The links below can be used as a starting point for sellers to educate themselves about laws relating to food sales:

Food Standards Agency (UK)

http://www.foodstandards.gov.uk/

http://www.food.gov.uk/enforcement/imports/
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (UK)

http://www.defra.gov.uk/
Food Safety Authority of Ireland

http://www.fsai.ie/

Breaches of this policy may result in a range of actions, including:

Listing cancellation
Limits on account privileges
Account suspension
Forfeit of eBay fees on cancelled listings
Loss of PowerSeller status

Some Examples

Prohibited Food Items

For the safety of eBay’s members, sellers may not list the following food and food-related items on eBay:

Listings containing drug claims - that is, a claim that the item is intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease in humans and/or animals (for example, pharmaceutical drugs, contact lenses, misbranded dietary supplements)
Wild mushrooms

Perishable Items
Sellers who list perishable items should clearly identify in the item description the steps that they will take to ensure that the goods are delivered to the buyer safely. For example, sellers of perishable goods should offer overnight delivery and ensure that the goods are properly packaged.

Sealed Containers
All food and related products sold on eBay should be packaged or sealed to ensure that the buyer can identify evidence of possible tampering.

Expiry Dates
All items must be delivered to buyers prior to a clearly marked expiration or "use by" date.

Why does eBay have this policy?

eBay urges its sellers and buyers to comply with all governmental laws and regulations. Since the sale of food is highly regulated or may cause harm to eBay or its members, members are encouraged to educate themselves on the laws governing its sale.

Related Help topics

Prohibited and Restricted Items: Alcohol

Contact Customer Support

Report breaches of eBay policy or problems with another eBay member.

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