You can also view our Consumer Trends hub 2024 here.
Our contents this week:
Retail, Food & Hospitality updates
New rules and regulator for construction products proposed in response to Grenfell Inquiry report
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local government has published a green paper on Government plans for future regulation of the Construction Products sector. The plans include the development of a new single Construction Products Regulator building on the National Regulator for Construction Products established within the Office for Product Safety and Standards and creating a General Product Safety Requirement for all construction products as currently, anecdotal estimates suggest that two-thirds of construction products are not covered by existing regulations, creating a safety risk. The MHCLG has also published guidance on technical standards applying to construction products. The proposed reforms will include both civil and criminal penalties for manufacturers that engage in misleading practices or neglect their responsibilities regarding product safety. One of the questions in the consultation is how the Office for Product Safety and Standards, Building Safety Regulator and Local Authority Trading Standards can best work together to assure the safety of construction products. Responses are required by 21st May 2025.
Construction Products Reform Green Paper > Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report: Government response >Government responds in full to Grenfell Tower Inquiry > View > View > View >Local Government Association >
Crime and Policing Bill begins parliamentary passage
The Bill had its first reading in the House of Commons on 25th February. The Bill which is very wide ranging including clauses to:
- Increase the maximum penalty, from six months’ imprisonment to two years’ imprisonment, for the offences of private possession, importation, manufacture, sale or supply of prohibited offensive weapons and knives and of selling knives to those under 18.
- create a standalone offence for assaulting a retail worker to protect staff,
- make retail theft a triable either way offence emphasing the seriousness of its impact.
- create a single, modern administering a harmful substance (including by spiking) offence which will be triable either way.
Government > Fact sheet > British Retail Consortium >
Home Office publish consultation results on future pavement licensing
Covid relaxations on the sale of alcohol from pavement areas are due to expire on the 31st March 2025. The Home Office has now published the results of a consultation in 2024 by the previous Government on three options for future licensing arrangements: Option 1: Make permanent the temporary regulatory easements for off-sales under the Business and Planning Act 2020, whereby any on-sales alcohol premise licence automatically covers off-sales as well, Option 2: Amend the wording in the Licensing Act 2003 to extend the definition of on-sales so that it includes consumption in a licenced pavement area. Option 3: Amend the Licensing Act to permit on-sales only premises licence holders the right to make off-sales to any area for which there is a pavement licence. Of 67 responses 32.84% (22 responses) strongly agreed with option 1. View >
Government responds to independent report on the regulation of online pornography: The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has responded to publication of the Independent Review of the challenge of regulating online pornography by Baroness Bertin. Baroness Bertin recommended action under the following themes: tackling violence against women and girls, creating a culture of positive masculinity, increasing onus on an accountability of platforms, protecting the most vulnerable, strengthening of enforcement and future proofing rules. View >
EU updates
EU Commission plan substantial cuts to business red tape
As part of its ‘Competitive compass’ initiative the European Commission has published plans to cut red tape for large business by 25% and for smaller businesses by 35% by the end of its term in 2029. Measures announced so far include making sustainability reporting more accessible and efficient, simplifying due diligence to support responsible business practices and strengthening the carbon border adjustment mechanism for a fairer trade. View >
European Food Safety Authority opinions:
- Feed additives: Levilacto bacillus brevis >
- Amending rules on plastic food contact materials: View >
- Approving chemical for use in food supplements: calcidiol monohydrate >
- Rejecting health claim for Spinach leaf extract: View >
- Postponing expiry date for biocidal product: bromoacetic acid >
European Food Safety Authority Opinions:
- Use of monocolin K from red yeast rice as a food supplement: View >
- Feed additives: calcium d-pantothenate and d-pantenol > l-arginine >
EU Dg Health and Food Safety
- Publish minutes of Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety working group on nanomaterials on 11th February. View >
Developments to watch
- DEFRA: Publish update on ongoing Avian flu Outbreak. View >
- Scottish Government: Consult on potential cruise ship levy – Responses required by 30th May. View >
- Climate Change Committee: Publish 7th Carbon budget. View > Friends of the Earth >
- OFCOM: Publish guidance for online platforms on the prevention of misogyny, pile-ons and domestic abuse. View >
For your information
- Non-food product safety alerts: Office for Product Safety and Standrds > EU Safety Gate > US Consumer Product Safety Commission >
- Association of Convenience Stores: Publish broad range of retail Primary Authority assured advice. View >
- Office for Product Safety and Standards: Publish code of conduct for officials developing product safety rules. View >
- Supreme Court: Grant leave to Oatley to appeal against Court of Appeal ruling in favour of Dairy UK against use of term ‘Post milk generation’. View >
