Food imitating products are products that are not foodstuffs but which resemble them closely, and which children may confuse with food products because of their shape, smell, colour, look or even their packaging and labelling. These are imitations.

These products are banned because they can cause problems for consumers. Consumption of a product that looks like a food product can easily cause health problems. In particular, children may easily mistake them for food and put them in their mouths, suck on them or ingest them, which could pose risks such as choking, poisoning, perforation or obstruction of the digestive tract.

Examples of this type of product are imitation fruit in wax or plastic (including small pieces), soaps and candles with the shape, colour and smell of food products etc.

Laws and regulations

The safety of food imitating products is based on the law of 9 February 1994 on the safety of products and services. These regulations are developed further in the Royal Decree of 10 August 2001 on food imitating products that may pose a consumer health or safety risk.

Products that are not foodstuffs but which bear a very strong resemblance to food and which children may confuse with food products because of their shape, smell, colour, look and even their packaging and labelling are banned. These products cannot be manufactured, imported, exported, placed on the market, distributed, rented or otherwise made available (i.e. for free).