Our contents this week:
Retail, Food & Hospitality updates
Tobacco and Vapes Bill introduced to parliament: The bill includes measures to phase out the sale of tobacco products across the UK to anyone aged 15 or younger this year, powers to extend the indoor smoking ban to specific outdoor spaces (with children’s playgrounds and outside schools and hospitals all being considered), subject to consultation. The Bill includes bans on vape advertising and sponsorship, as well as powers to restrict the flavours, display and packaging of all types of vapes and other nicotine products. The bill also includes powers to introduce a licensing scheme for retailers to sell tobacco, vape and nicotine products in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and will introduce on the spot fines of £200 to retailers found to be selling these products to people underage. Trade bodies have welcomed that the Department for Health and Social Care has announced that hospitality, including outside areas of pubs and bars, will not be included in the proposed extension of the indoor smoking ban. News > UK Hospitality > British Beer and Pubs Association > Association of Convenience Stores > Local Government Association > Chartered Trading Standards Institute > View >
Food manufacturers issue guidance on avoiding allergen recalls: In a week that has seen further recalls due to the presence of peanut material in mustard ingredients the Food and Drink Federation has issued detailed guidance to food manufacturers on the avoidance of product recalls relating to allergens. The guidance outlines steps to be integrated into food safety management procedures to reduce the risk of allergen-related recalls. The guidance explores in detail how to avoid incorrectly or not declaring allergenic ingredients, mismatching of product to packaging, incorrect ‘free from’ claims and use of ‘may contain’ labelling. Food and Drink Federation > Government >
DEFRA Call on businesses to support development of international treaty to end plastic pollution by 2040: DEFRA have published a statement of ambition ahead of international plastic pollution treaty negotiations to which they are asking leading businesses to sign up. The statement commits signatories to ‘call for the development of global criteria and global listings, underpinned by science-based objectives and measures, for problematic and avoidable plastic products, and globally harmonised product design requirements to provide businesses with guidance, clarity and certainty of future direction, including sector-specific approaches andguidelines. Businesses having signed the statement of ambition so far include Danone, Mars, Nestle, SC Johnson, Tesco, Unilever and Waitrose. View >
Detailed analysis of challenges facing product safety in the UK published: The Office for Product Safety and Standards has published the Government response to its review of product Safety and the results of a detailed ‘Yougov’ survey on consumer attitudes to product safety which provide support for the provisions of the Product Safety and Legal Metrology Bill which received its second reading on 8th October. Consultation > Publication >
EU updates
EU Regulations
- Delisting plant protection products: metribuzin > tritosulfuron >
- Extending authorisation period for plant protection products: 8-hydroxyquinoline, aminopyralid, azoxystrobin, Cnadida oleophila, cholrotraniliprole, fluroxypyr, imazalil, kresoxim-methyl, metobromuron, oxyfluorfen, Paecilomyces fumosoroseus, tefluthrin and terbuthylazine >
- EU Commission decision re French national actions: dinitrogen oxide >
European Food Safety Authority opinions
- On feed additives: Vitamin B2 / Riboflavin >
- On establishing upper tolerance levels for vitamins and minerals: View >
- On food additives: steviol glycosides (E960 a-d) and steviol >
- Pesticide risk assessment: fludioxonil >
Developments to watch
DEFRA: Issue press release on first Bird Flu H5N5 virus in England:View >
British Retail Consortium: Launch Retail forum on green claims with organisation called ‘Provenance’. View >
Competition and Markets Authority: Consult on Enterprise Act guidance for the markets regime – Responses required by 3rd December. View >
Department for Business and Trade: Consult of labour market enforcement strategy 2025/2026 – Responses required by 13th December. View >
WRAP: Call on hospitality and food service businesses to sign up to food waste reduction roadmap. View >
Local Government Association: Call for sugar levy to be devolved to Local Councils. View >
Gambling Commission: Publish report on gambling and young people.View >
Grocery Code Adjudicator: Mentions ongoing actions re Amazon in latest newsletter. View >
For your information
Non-food product safety alerts: Office for Product Safety and Standards >EU Safety Gate > US Consumer Product Safety Commission >
Food Standards Agency: Announce reappointment of Professor Susan Jebb as chair.
Competition and Markets Authority: Close investigation of Unilever re ‘Green claims’. View >
Association of Convenience Stores: Issue press release on election of Russell George MP as Chair of all party retail small shops group of MP’s: View >
Cabinet Office: Publish a list of Government Ministers and portfolios. View >
Department for Business and Trade: Publish report on use of defaults by online shopping sites without identifying need for action. View >
