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Food Act 2014

Provisions relating to recognition, territorial authorities, administration, and enforcement - Offences - Offences

230: Offences involving intentionally defeating purpose of Act or deceiving in relation to statements

You could also call this:

"Breaking the law by lying about food to deceive people"

Illustration for Food Act 2014

If you try to deceive people on purpose to get a benefit or avoid a problem, you can commit an offence. This happens when you make a false statement that looks like it is made under section 290, or a statement about food from the New Zealand Government. You can also commit an offence if you falsify or misuse a statement made under section 290. You do this when you change or use a statement in a wrong way to deceive people. If you are found guilty of this offence, you can get in trouble.

If you are a company, you can be fined up to $500,000. If you are an individual, you can be imprisoned for up to 5 years and fined up to $100,000. This is what happens if you break the law by trying to deceive people about food or statements made under section 290. You should know what the law says about section 290, which you can find here.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM2996348.

Topics:
Health and wellbeing > Food and water safetyBusiness > Industry rulesCrime and justice > Criminal law
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229: Offences involving intentionally defeating purpose of Act or deceiving in relation to sampling, testing, or evidence, or

"Breaking the law by lying about food or tampering with food samples or evidence"

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231: Offences involving statements, or

"Breaking the law by making false claims or misusing information is an offence."

Part 4Provisions relating to recognition, territorial authorities, administration, and enforcement
Offences: Offences

230Offences involving intentionally defeating purpose of Act or deceiving in relation to statements

  1. A person commits an offence if the person, with intent to deceive and for the purpose of obtaining any material benefit or avoiding any material detriment,—

  2. makes a statement that purports to be a statement made under section 290 or a statement of the New Zealand Government's assurance about food or a consignment of food; or
    1. falsifies or misuses a statement made under section 290.

      1. A person who commits an offence against this section is liable on conviction,—

      2. for a body corporate, to a fine not exceeding $500,000:
        1. for an individual, to—
          1. imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years; and
            1. a fine not exceeding $100,000.