Many years ago I was chatting with my local fish & chip shop proprietor about daft "Elf and Safety" rules. He went into the back room and returned with a large, clearly marked, box of cod fillets. Printed on the side (in slightly smaller lettering) was "Warning, contains fish"...
This lunacy has evolved from the legal profession's insatiable "Sue, sue & sue again" approach - often on a contingency basis. It's another import from the US that we could well have done without. Too many members of the legal profession are amoral and venal and naturally, Parliament is over-run with lawyers.
You buy eggs in boxes that have 'contains egg' written on them. I have always thought that such allergy information was there because it is much simpler to apply it to everything without having an exemption for when it is completely obvious. It just makes the rule much more straightforward to apply. In the case of the peanut butter, the sensible thing to have done would be to contact the manufacturers and notify them of the omission rather than have the product withdrawn. The problem being that if you apply common sense you tend to lose your job.
"They're on the same level as pictures of 'serving suggestion', where one has to see some sort of slop plonked on a plate.
As if one might use a garden trowel to eat the jollop from an old bucket, out in the shed"
I think the 'serving suggestion' wording is to cover them from some compensation chancer saying that they expected what was in the box/tin to be what was pictured on the outside. Thus you can't complain (for example) that your tin of hot dogs doesn't come with them already in a bun...............
Many years ago I was chatting with my local fish & chip shop proprietor about daft "Elf and Safety" rules. He went into the back room and returned with a large, clearly marked, box of cod fillets. Printed on the side (in slightly smaller lettering) was "Warning, contains fish"...
ReplyDeleteThis lunacy has evolved from the legal profession's insatiable "Sue, sue & sue again" approach - often on a contingency basis. It's another import from the US that we could well have done without. Too many members of the legal profession are amoral and venal and naturally, Parliament is over-run with lawyers.
ReplyDeleteYou buy eggs in boxes that have 'contains egg' written on them. I have always thought that such allergy information was there because it is much simpler to apply it to everything without having an exemption for when it is completely obvious. It just makes the rule much more straightforward to apply. In the case of the peanut butter, the sensible thing to have done would be to contact the manufacturers and notify them of the omission rather than have the product withdrawn. The problem being that if you apply common sense you tend to lose your job.
ReplyDeleteThey're on the same level as pictures of 'serving suggestion', where one has to see some sort of slop plonked on a plate.
ReplyDeleteAs if one might use a garden trowel to eat the jollop from an old bucket, out in the shed...
The 'serving suggestion' caption is there in case idiots complain that the bowl and various bits of garnish aren't included.
ReplyDelete"They're on the same level as pictures of 'serving suggestion', where one has to see some sort of slop plonked on a plate.
ReplyDeleteAs if one might use a garden trowel to eat the jollop from an old bucket, out in the shed"
I think the 'serving suggestion' wording is to cover them from some compensation chancer saying that they expected what was in the box/tin to be what was pictured on the outside. Thus you can't complain (for example) that your tin of hot dogs doesn't come with them already in a bun...............
"Printed on the side (in slightly smaller lettering) was "Warning, contains fish"..."
ReplyDelete/facepalm
"This lunacy has evolved from the legal profession's insatiable "Sue, sue & sue again" approach...."
Oh yes! The only ones who win are the lawyers. As always.
"The problem being that if you apply common sense you tend to lose your job."
Sadly true. And hence common sense is dying out.
"As if one might use a garden trowel to eat the jollop from an old bucket, out in the shed..."
ReplyDeleteOne might indeed be served such fare!
https://twitter.com/wewantplates?lang=en
"Thus you can't complain (for example) that your tin of hot dogs doesn't come with them already in a bun..............."
I bet people have!