The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is moving ahead with plans to redesign parts of the UK food safety system, with proposals aimed at making regulation more effective, more consistent and better suited to the way modern food businesses operate.
The FSA Board has agreed to progress the next stage of its Future of Food Regulation programme, which will now move into a more detailed design phase.
The proposals include greater use of data and intelligence, improvements to food business registration, stronger powers and tools for local food teams, and a more proportionate approach to regulating businesses of different sizes and risk levels.
The FSA says the aim is to create a system that protects the public, supports businesses and helps ensure high food standards are maintained as the food sector continues to evolve.
A more modern approach to regulation
Under the proposals, local authorities would continue to play a central role in overseeing food businesses within their communities.
However, the FSA is also considering a more nationally coordinated approach for a relatively small number of the UK’s largest food businesses.
This reflects the structure of the food sector, where the vast majority of businesses are small or medium-sized, but a significant proportion of food sold to consumers passes through a comparatively small number of major retailers.
The FSA says a more proportionate regulatory model could help ensure resources are focused where they are likely to have the greatest impact.
Greater use of food safety data
Data and intelligence are expected to play a larger role under the proposed system.
The FSA wants regulators to make better use of information from across businesses’ supply chains, allowing authorities to identify emerging risks, recognise wider trends and focus regulatory activity on areas where problems may be developing.
For larger businesses in particular, this could mean greater use of the information already generated through food safety management systems and supply-chain processes.
The aim is to create a clearer picture of risk across the food system, rather than relying solely on individual inspections or local activity.
Changes to food business registration
Another area under consideration is food business registration.
The FSA wants to improve the way businesses register with regulators so authorities have more accurate information about who is operating within the food system and what activities they undertake.
Better registration data could also help regulators allocate resources more effectively and identify businesses requiring greater levels of oversight.
Stronger tools for local food teams
The proposals also include giving local food teams additional powers and tools to address poor food safety practices.
Rather than focusing only on individual breaches, the FSA wants regulators to have greater ability to identify and address the underlying causes of repeated problems.
This could allow enforcement activity to become more targeted and potentially help businesses resolve systemic issues before they lead to wider food safety failures.
The FSA also wants to provide more consistent guidance to businesses and local authorities, helping to reduce variation in how regulation is interpreted and applied across different areas.
Greater transparency around food hygiene ratings
Food hygiene information could also become more visible to consumers.
Among the proposals is greater consistency in how food hygiene ratings are displayed, including consideration of mandatory online display across the UK.
The FSA has also proposed making the physical display of hygiene ratings compulsory in shops and restaurants in England.
Such requirements already exist in some parts of the UK, and the FSA believes greater consistency could provide consumers with clearer information when choosing where to buy or eat food.
What could this mean for food businesses?
For food businesses, the proposals could eventually lead to a more risk-based regulatory environment.
Smaller operators are likely to continue working predominantly with local authority food teams, while larger businesses could face greater national oversight and increased use of corporate and supply-chain data as part of the regulatory process.
Businesses may also see increased emphasis on the quality of their registration information, data management and ability to demonstrate effective food safety systems.
The proposals could therefore create opportunities for businesses with mature food safety and quality processes to demonstrate compliance more efficiently, while also allowing regulators to focus more closely on areas where risk is highest.
However, the plans remain at an early stage and the final regulatory model has not yet been agreed.
Next steps
The FSA will now work with local authorities, businesses and other stakeholders as it develops the proposals in further detail.
A technical advisory committee is also expected to help shape the programme.
The next major stage is expected in March 2027, when developed proposals will return to the FSA Board.
Any significant regulatory changes would then be subject to further development and public consultation.
Professor Susan Jebb, Chair of the Food Standards Agency, said the organisation wants to retain the strengths of the current food safety system while ensuring it is capable of responding to changes in the food industry.
She said the proposals are intended to strengthen food safety while improving the way regulators and businesses work together.
For food safety and quality professionals, the direction of travel is significant: greater reliance on data, more targeted oversight and closer scrutiny of how businesses manage risk could all become increasingly important features of the UK’s future food regulatory landscape.
Source: Food Standards Agency / GOV.UK
Original announcement: FSA Board supports new plans to strengthen the food safety system
