Welcome to the Retail, Food & Hospitality Regulatory & EU round-up. Week ending 25 August 2025

This week’s regulatory developments in order of importance, so you can ensure you're up to date with the latest changes impacting your business. 

Retail, Food & Hospitality Important updates

Welsh Government consult on detail of deposit return scheme: The Welsh Government has issued a further 12-week consultation on its proposed deposit return scheme for drinks packaging including glass and considering potential minimum targets for reusable packaging. Responses are required by 10 November. Business organisations are urging the Welsh Government not to include glass and to align with the rest of the UK. British Retail Consortium > Association of Convenience Stores > UK Hospitality >

Government sets informal composition and labelling requirements for baby foods: The Department of Health and Social Care has issued detailed ‘informal voluntary’ guidance for baby food manufacturers on the composition and labelling of food for children of up to 36 months in age. The guidelines set by product category maximum levels for sugar and salt and prevent the addition of salt and sugar. The guidelines also require that food for this age group do not make any reference to snacking between meals and that foods with high levels of salt or sugar do not make health claims such as ‘no nasties’. The DHSC have indicated that they expect businesses to comply with the guidelines by the end of February 2027. News > Publication >

Due diligence guidance for timber sourcing updated: The Office for Product Safety and Standards has published updated due diligence guidance in respect of compliance with the Timber and Timber Products Placing on the Market Regulations (UKTR) and UK Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade Regulations (FLEGT). Timber imported from countries that have implemented VPAs with the UK – currently only Indonesia – must be accompanied by a FLEGT licence. Operators can use the OPSS due diligence tool and either develop their own due diligence systems or use one provided by an approved monitoring organisation (MO).  View >

Alcohol watchdog upholds complaints re product packaging: The Portman group has published details of two products found to breach its codes on the packaging, labelling and marketing of alcoholic products as follows:

• Passion tang sour ale: On the basis that the design was very busy with passion fruit and that alcohol cues were just on one side of the can in small font not making the alcoholic nature of the product abundantly clear as required. View >
• Skinny lager 4 x 330ml bottles: On the basis that although use of the word Skinny was considered OK for a low-calorie product use of fitness imagery on the pack linked alcohol consumptions with fitness and weight loss contrary to the code. View >

EU updates

EU Commission and US Government publish joint statement on implementation of trade deal: The Joint Statement sets out the new US tariff regime towards the EU, with a clear maximum, all-inclusive, tariff rate of 15% for the vast majority of EU exports, including strategic sectors such as cars, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors and lumber. In addition as of 1 September, a number of product groups will benefit from a special regime, with only MFN tariffs applying including unavailable natural resources (such as cork), all aircraft and aircraft parts, generic pharmaceuticals and their ingredients and chemical precursors. The EU and US have also committed to work together to reduce non-tariff barriers to trade in food and agricultural products. Press release > Statement >

Client Earth criticises EU Commission on approach to PFAS chemicals: The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has published an updated proposal prepared by five member states to restrict PFAS, the so-called’ forever chemicals’. Client Earth believes that the proposal is too weak in challenging use of the chemicals considering granting too broad a range of exemptions for product uses and controlled manufacturing conditions. The next step is for ECHA’s scientific (RAC) and socio-economic (SEAC) committees to assess the evidence prior to making a recommendation to the EU Commission. ECHA > Client Earth >

Developments to watch

DEFRA: Publish updates on disease outbreaks as at 20 August. Blue tongue > Avian flu > Defra issues warning of elevated risk of Avian Flu. View >

British Retail Consortium: Publish letter by 60 retail CEO’s to Chancellor on taxation and need for business rates reform. View > Association of Convenience Stores >

Health and Safety Executive: Launch consultation on use of PFAS chemicals in fire extinguisher foams. Responses required by 18^th February. View >

Advisory Committee on Misuse of drugs: Publish independent report on semi-synthetic cannibidinoids. View >

For your information

Non-food product safety alerts: Office for Product Safety and Standards > EU Safety Gate > US Consumer Product Safety Commission >

US Consumer Product Safety Commission: Set out approach to safety standards and publish standards for water bead toys and neck floats. View > View > View >

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology: To incorporate UK Space Agency as a better regulation move by April 2026. View >

US Food and Drugs Administration: Publish public commitments by food and drink manufacturers and retailers to phase our Petroleum based food colourings. View >