Can I call honey ‘Raw’?

Can you call honey ‘raw’ on the label?

Well apparently the Association of Chief Trading Standards officers (ACTSO) issued non-binding guidance that the word could not be used and indeed there are instances of beekeepers and honey packers being told to stop using the description.

But a Greek honey importer felt that they were perfectly justified in calling their honey ‘raw’ and went to a first-tier tribunal to get a judgement.

And the judgement was……well, you’ll just have to read the article in this month’s BBKA News April 2024 p17, where our very own Andy Pedley has written a full page analysis of the judgement and what it means for us hobby beekeepers.