The Government has published a consultation on how to implement a change to the law on weights and measures, so that shoppers and business have greater choice over the way they buy and sell products.

The consultation will help the government consider, for example, allowing vegetables to be sold in pounds only, or in pounds with a less prominent metric equivalent, should businesses wish to do so. This will help inform the Government’s plans to legislate to give businesses greater choice in the units they use.

Government has stressed that there is no intention to require businesses to change their existing practices and so this will not place greater costs on businesses.

UK law currently requires metric units to be used, as the primary indication, for all trade purposes with only limited exceptions, reflecting rules from our time in the EU. This is set out in EU Directive 80/181/EC (as amended).

Currently, imperial units are only authorised for use on their own in a small number of cases such sales of draught beer and cider. Now we have left the EU, the UK can act in the best interests of its businesses and consumers.

The measurements consultation will run for 12 weeks, and a range of stakeholders are being invited to contribute, including businesses, trade associations, enforcement bodies and consumer organisations.

Should you wish us to contribute to the consultation anonymously on your behalf, please do not hesitate to contact deniserion@bfff.co.uk.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has launched a consultation seeking views from the public, public health professionals and food sector partners on the proposed enhancement of the investigatory powers of the National Food Crime Unit (NFCU).

The NFCU is a law enforcement unit of the FSA and it tackles serious, organised, or complex cases of crime in relation to food. Its role is to detect, investigate and disrupt serious fraud and related criminality within food supply chains, across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 which received Royal Assent on 28 April includes a regulation-making power for the Secretary of State to confer additional investigatory powers upon food crime officers of the FSA in England and Wales. The Act also brings the NFCU under the remit of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

Stakeholders in England and Wales are invited to respond to the twelve-week consultation. Separate legislation governing investigatory powers applies in Northern Ireland. The FSA intends to hold a consultation for Northern Ireland in due course.
This consultation does not apply to Scotland, where Food Standards Scotland’s dedicated Scottish Food Crime and Incidents Unit is responsible for delivering the food crime response.

The consultation is available on the FSA website, where you can also find out about the work of the NFCU.

A report by the University of Cambridge  has highlighted that internet-connected technology which is increasingly used in the agricultural industry could be vulnerable to exploitation, if not sufficiently protected.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has previously worked with the National Farmers Union (NFU) to support the Agriculture and Farming Sector and created useful cyber security guidance for farmers explaining why cyber security matters in farming and steps to take.

This is important for ultimately assuring food chain security, in which agriculture plays a vital role.