Village fetes saved from a sticky jam says Euro MP

The MEP said: “This is all completely untrue. There are no EU laws, new or old, which ban re-using old jam jars for fetes. The EU also has no powers to fine people.

“Sadly none of the media outlets chose to check with the European Union before running the stories.

“There is indeed a body of EU food safety and hygiene legislation –so that the UK and other countries can be confident that food imported from or bought elsewhere in the EU is safe and of high quality. But these rules apply only to business operators and not to those preparing food for charity events such as church fetes or school bazaars.

What is more, the rules do not ban re-using clean jam jars even in the case of ‘food businesses’.

“Village fetes and WI groups can stand down. The great British tradition of selling home-made jams and chutneys at fetes has a bright future. There are no plans for ban or anything like it.

“I think this was just a case of overexcitement on the part of some newspapers.”