Welcome to the Retail, Food & Hospitality Regulatory & EU round-up. Week ending 19 July 2026.

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

Energy drinks 16 age limit to apply from April 2027: The Department of Health and Social Care have announced that a ban under the Food Safety Act 1990 will apply to drinks, other than tea or coffee, containing more than 150mg of caffeine per litre. It will cover sales in all retail settings, including shops, vending machines and websites and online. Businesses that break the law will face fines of up to £2,500. Press release > Consultation outcome > Association of Convenience Stores > Sustain >

Night time social media curfew for 16–17-year-olds announced: The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has announced that default overnight curfews from midnight to 6am will be switched on for 16 and 17-year-olds on social media apps and features that can keep users scrolling for longer - such as videos that automatically play one after another and feeds that continually serve up personalised content - will also be switched off by default for older teenagers. The Government intention is to lay the necessary legislation by the end of the year and implement the changes in April 2027. View >

Select committee report blames obesity on the food environment: The Health and Social Care select committee has published a detailed report ‘Food and weight management – Fixing the food environment'. The thrust of the report is that obesity is a problem caused by the availability, marketing and cost of unhealthy food options rather than the responsibility of the individual and as such is an issue to be fixed by policy makers and the food industry. Report > Chartered Institute of Environmental Health > Food and Drink Federation > Sustain >

Advertising Standards Authority: Uphold complaints re price reduction claims made by Origin sleep and Parker products. View > View >

EU updates

Irish EU Presidency sets out its priorities to the European parliament: View >

European Food Safety Authority:

• Publish opinions on maximum residue levels: ethofumesate > mepiquat > quinmerac >

• Publish peer review of pesticide risk assessment: flurochloridone >

EU Regulations:

• Approving biocide: View >

• Renewing approval of plant protection product: pelargonic acid >

EU Dg Internal Market, Entrepreneurship and SME’s: Publish web page resource on digital product passports. View >

Developments to watch

Food Standards Agency: Update guidance on control and labelling of allergens in non-prepacked foods. View > View > View > View > View > View >

Competition and Markets Authority: On the case in tackling fairness in charges and penalties for parking on private land. View > View > View >

Department for Business and Trade: Consult on proposals for faster competition redress, regulatory appeals and enforcement – Responses required by 25 September. View >

HM Treasury: publish outcome of consultation on customs treatment of low value packages. View >

Financial Conduct Authority: Highlight new rules in force from 15 July on regulation of buy now pay later schemes. View >

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology: Launch consultation on data regulation in the age of AI – Responses required by 9 September. View >

Department of Culture, media and sport: Consult on sponsorship ban for unlicensed gambling businesses – Responses required by 9 September. View >

Climate Change Committee: Publish response to latest Government climate adaptation plans. View >

For your information

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

Office for Product Safety and Standards: Analyse cosmetic product safety notifications. View >

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Announce reorganisations in 14 more Local Authority areas. View >

Pubs Code Adjudicator: Launch investigation of Stonegate with call for evidence. View >

Financial Conduct Authority: Publish update on action re motor finance compensation scheme adverts. View >

UK Hospitality: Express concern over apparent withdrawal of draft code on tipping. View >

Gambling Commission: Publish annual report on gambling behaviour. View >

Food Standards Agency: Publish annual report on consumer attitudes to food issues: View >

Government Chemist: Publish report on annual conference on food authenticity testing. View >