UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), supported by Sciencewise, has commissioned a project to explore the public opinion on Ultra Processed Foods (UPF’s).  

The project which will run for a year, is the first in-depth deliberative dialogue to focus specifically UPF’s.  

It will explore some of the complexities around how people view UPFs, look at their place in our food system and at their governance and regulation. It will also explore where people get their information from and who they trust. 

The findings will be brought together with existing evidence about the public’s perceptions of UPFs to help UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) identify and address gaps in existing knowledge and develop future research priorities. 

The UK population ranks among the worst in Europe for levels of obesity and is one of the biggest consumers of UPFs. Tackling obesity and related poor health is a challenging issue, and understanding the role of UPFs in dietary choices and ill health is a major part of this. 

The results of the project will also be made available to government and wider stakeholders and feed into work underway to create a new National Food Strategy.  

More information on the project can be found here  

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) have published updated Primary Authority statutory guidance.  

This guidance is the framework for the operation of Primary Authority which sets out essential detail to assist those participating in the scheme. It is split into seven main sections, one general and relevant to all, and the others specific to direct partnerships, co-ordinated partnerships, primary authorities, enforcing authorities, co-ordinators, and supporting regulators. It will also be useful for businesses participating in the scheme. 

The guidance has been updated to take account of legislative changes post EU Exit, and the enhanced role of national regulators. It also reflects the development and maturation of the scheme. 

You can access the updated guidance here 

 

 

BRCGS sites certificated to one of four BRCGS Standards – Agents and Brokers, Food Safety, Packaging Materials or Storage and Distribution have exclusive access to the Participate platform.  

Participate provides you with access to a wealth of free technical information and guidance, and is a great resource to help you get the full value from the Standards and further improve your business. 

New content added to Participate in the last month: 

• Beyond Celiac Trademark 

Following the launch of an updated Beyond Celiac trademark in January 2025 this document answers questions about the use and implementation of the mark. 

• Free-From Trademark Guideline 

This guide is for brand and marketing managers, graphic designers, agencies and printers who are responsible for the application of the Global Standard Gluten-Free and/or the Plant-Based Global Standard trademark(s) on packaging, signage, marketing materials and digital media. 

Who can access Participate? 

To access Participate content, you must be one of the following BRCGS customers or delivery partners: 

• BRCGS site certificated to any of the following BRCGS Standards; Food, Packaging, Storage and Distribution or Agents and Brokers 

• BRCGS auditor 

• BRCGS certification body, 

• BRCGS Approved Training Partner (ATP) 

• BRCGS consultant 

Find out more about the steps to access participate here  

 

 

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued best practice industry guidance on providing allergen information to consumers with food hypersensitivities, encouraging information on food allergens to be available in writing in the out of home sector, for example restaurants, cafes, delis, market stalls and takeaways. 

The guidance aims to support food businesses when providing information on the 14 food allergens to their customers, whilst helping to keep consumers safe. It applies to food businesses providing non-prepacked or ‘loose’ food in person or via online sales.   

It follows a consultation on the guidance, as well as FSA research and engagement with consumers and food businesses to better understand how food businesses could improve written information for consumers with food hypersensitivities.     

The updated guidance includes:   

•  written allergen information should always be available for non-prepacked food alongside a conversation between servers and customers about their allergen requirements    

•  examples of how to provide written allergen information    

•  free tools to support businesses with implementation, such as allergy icons, an allergen matrix and a new allergy poster which food businesses can download and use on their own assets (e.g. menus and websites)   

This updated guidance applies to businesses operating in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.   

The publication of the guidance is the latest development since the FSA Board agreed in December 2023 to strengthen allergy information for consumers.   

 

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) have launched a consultation seeking stakeholders’ views on proposed changes to the Food Law Code of Practice (the Code) and the Practice Guidance (PG) in England.  

(Note: The proposed amendments are subject to separate consultations in Wales and Northern Ireland) 

This consultation will be of most interest to:  

• Competent Authorities – Local Authorities and Port Health Authorities 

• food businesses and industry trade bodies 

• third-party assurance organisations for food safety  

• awarding bodies for environmental health and trading standards professionals   

• Trade Unions and expert groups may also have an interest   

Consultation subject  

This consultation seeks stakeholders’ views on proposed changes to the Food Law Code of Practice and Practice Guidance. Key proposals include: 

1. an updated risk-based approach to the prioritisation and timescales for undertaking initial food hygiene official controls of new food establishments 

1. enabling, in certain circumstances, an establishments food hygiene intervention risk rating to be amended following a wider range of official control methods and techniques, including those undertaken remotely 

1. extending the activities that officers, who do not hold an ‘appropriate qualification’ for food hygiene or food standards, can, if competent, undertake 

1. a clarification in approach to interventions at food business establishments that fall into risk category E for food hygiene 

1. removal of a prescriptive number of hours required for continuing professional development 

1. other amendments which do not amend policy, to provide clarity and improve consistency and keep pace with current practices 

How to respond  

The consultation pack and England Code and Practice Guidance can be found here  along with a response form to provide your comments.  

Once completed the form should be emailed to CodeReviewResponses@food.gov.uk. 

The closing date for responses is May 19th 2025 

Within three months of a consultation ending the FSA aim to publish a summary of responses received. 

 

The European Commission recently published their February report on agri-food fraud suspicions.  

 

These monthly reports include ‘non-compliances with fraud suspicions’ of cross-border nature identified and shared between members of the Alert and Cooperation Network (ACN) and retrieved from its three components: the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed network (RASFF), the Administrative Assistance and Cooperation network (AAC) and the Agri-Food Fraud Network (FFN).  

 

Non-compliances with fraud suspicions affecting one single Member State are not shared in the ACN and therefore not reported within these monthly reports. 

 

The monthly reports cover food, feedingstuff, materials and articles intended to come into contact directly or indirectly with food, animal welfare issues for farmed animals, plant protection products, veterinary medicinal products and other inputs that may end in the form of residues and contaminants in food and feed. 

 

The report can be read in full here 

 

The European Commission (EC) have recently released Commission Regulation (EU) 2025/351 to amend several regulations on food contact materials. 

The amended regulations are: 

• Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 on plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food. 

• Regulation (EU) 2022/1616 on recycled plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food. 

• Regulation (EC) No 2023/2006 on good manufacturing practice for materials and articles intended to come into contact with food, as regards to recycled plastic and other matters related to quality control and manufacturing of plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food. 

The regulation change entered into effect on March 16th, 2025. 

It amends quality assurance system requirements for recyclers and introduces new provisions for ‘materials intended for reprocessing’ under the GMP regulation. 

It also makes several amends to Regulation (EU) No. 10/2011: 

• Changes to the scope of the Regulation, which also covers plastic materials in multi-material multilayer materials 

• Insertion of the parameter regarding articles with repeated use that the composition of plastic materials and articles shall be such so as to guarantee that no increase in the migration of constituents of the material or article to the food would occur during their life span when subjected to subsequent use cycles 

• Inclusion of the obligation to report on the label, for articles for repeated use, information to mitigate deterioration of the article and a description of the visual changes that indicate deterioration and reaching the end of life, as well as any restrictions in the use of the article when a starting substance is used that is limited by law with respect to times, temperatures and food simulants 

• Request for information regarding non-intentionally added substances (if present) in an amount that could cause non-compliance of a final material with Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 

• Introduction of the concept of high degree of purity for raw materials 

• Introduction of the possibility by the relevant authorities to take samples to verify their degree of purity and their composition, including that of the substances and materials used for their manufacture 

• New reference to plastic wastes 

• Introduction of new details regarding the use of reprocessing materials 

• Amendment of food simulant to be used for evaluation of specific cheese 

• Updating regulatory references to requirements applicable to recycled plastic food contact materials according to Regulation (EU) 2022/1616 

• Modification of Regulation (EC) No 2023/2006 on good manufacturing practice for food contact materials according to the Annex II of the new Regulation 

Food contact plastics that complied with Regulation (EU) No.10/2011 and other relevant regulations before Regulation (EU) 2025/351 entered into force, and that were first placed on the market before September 16th 2026, may remain on the market until stocks are exhausted. 

Business operators will have to revise labels that accompany products as well as declarations for products in contact with food intended for repeated use, aligning with the new provisions. Particular attention must be paid to the declarations submitted by raw material suppliers, which must comply with the new provisions. 

The new regulation can be accessed here  

 

In February, Defra issued updated guidance on labelling requirements for certain products moving from Great Britain to retail premises in Northern Ireland under the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme (NIRMS).  

Under NIRMS, some food products require individual product labels with the words ‘Not for EU’. These requirements are being introduced in 3 phases from October 2023 to July 2025. This includes products imported into Great Britain from the EU and products from the rest of the world that can move under NIRMS.   

Only products moving into Northern Ireland under NIRMS need to meet the labelling requirements. 

Phase 3 commences from 1st July 2025, and requires that additional food and retail goods must be individually labelled. This includes  

• all fresh, frozen and processed fish,  

• all chilled or frozen composite products and some chilled plant products that require certification or controls at a border control post (BCP) 

• All pre-packed and sealed fruit and vegetables 

• All shelf-stable composite products, unless they are listed in the ‘Exemptions’ section 

• Other Product of Animal Origin (POAO) 

• Some cut flowers 

The guidance also lists products that are exempt from labelling requirements as well as a list of their commodity codes. 

How to register and seal consignments under NIRMS has also been updated. 

The updated guidance and link to the commodity code exemption list can be found here