The Swiss Food Act and thus food control in Switzerland covers beside food also the commodities (see Federal Act on Food and Commodities).
Articles of daily use and consumption (commodities) are products, which fall under one of the following product categories:
- articles in connection with the production, use or packaging of food (food contact materials);
- toiletries and cosmetics as well as articles, which get in contact with the mucous membranes of the mouth;
- clothing, textiles and other articles (e.g. clock bracelets, wigs and jewellery), which get in contact with the body;
- articles intended for the use of children (e.g. toys, learning materials, drawing materials);
- candles, matches, lighters and joke articles;
- articles and materials for the equipment and lining of rooms, as far as they are not subordinate to other legislation.
Commodities may not be advertised as drugs. They may not endanger the health of the human being within their intended or usually expected use.
The legal requirements on commodities result from the Ordinance on Food and Commodities (LGV), the Ordinance on Food Contact Material, the Ordinance on Cosmetics, as well as the Ordinance on articles for human contact.
Since July 2010, commodities fall under the “Cassis de Dijon” principle of the THG. Swiss producer will have the possibility to manufacture their export and national products according to the EC regulations or in the case of missing or incomplete harmonization according to the regulations of any EC/EEC-Member State. To that extent the European law will become applicable to Swiss consumer products.
Rentsch Partner Ltd. advise you comprehensively on questions in Swiss Commodities Law as well as in European Commodities Law