Welcome to the Retail, Food & Hospitality Regulatory & EU round-up. Week ending 12 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.

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Retail, Food & Hospitality important updates

Advertising watchdog rulings circumvent high fat, sugar and salt food advertising bans: The Advertising Standards Authority has published detailed rulings rejecting complaints about multiple fast food chains advertising on the basis that the food and drink pictured was in each case a healthy variant from their product ranges. In two other rulings complaints were upheld re use of cartoon character for Wrigleys M&M’s and advertising of high fat, sugar foods by a branch of a pizza franchise operator. View > View > View > View >

Consultation on plain packaging and marketing restrictions for Vapes: The Department of Health and Social Care has issued a consultation on mandating the use of plain packaging for vapes, restriction of flavour descriptions and retail display. Responses are required by 2^nd October. View > View > Association of Convenience Stores > Scottish Government >

Department of Health and Social Care set economic development goals for Food Standards Agency: The Rt Hon Sharon Hodgson MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health and Prevention, has written to Professor Susan Jebb, Chair of the Food Standards Agency setting out the following economic growth goals for the FSA:

supporting the delivery of the UK’s agri-food trade ambitions by implementing changes required for a future sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement with the EU and helping businesses to understand and adapt to new requirements
delivering the future of food regulation programme, including proposals for a new national approach to the regulation of large food businesses that reduces unnecessary burdens while maintaining public confidence, playing a key role in driving a more proportionate and effective regulatory system
supporting innovation in the food sector by providing clearer regulatory pathways for emerging products, for example through work on cell-cultivated foods
strengthening the use of data, intelligence and emerging technologies, including AI, to target regulatory effort more effectively and respond more quickly to risks
supporting DHSC’s 10 Year Health Plan commitment of introducing healthier food targets and reporting, subject to future policy and funding decisions

View > View >

EU updates

EU Commission find Facebook and Instagram in breach of Digital Services Act: The Commission has reached a preliminarily finding that Meta is in breach of the Digital Services Act for the addictive design of Instagram and Facebook. The investigation focused on features such as infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications, and the platforms' highly personalised recommender systems and found that Meta did not adequately assess the risks of its addictive design on the physical and mental wellbeing of users, including minors and vulnerable adults. If the Commission's views are ultimately confirmed, the Commission may issue a non-compliance decision, which can trigger a fine proportionate to the nature, gravity, recurrence and duration of the infringement, capped at 6% of the total worldwide annual turnover of the provider. View > View >

Client Earth file complaint with EU Commission over alleged lack of action by the Belgian Government on PFAS chemicals: Lawyers at environmental law NGO ClientEarth have filed a complaint to the European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR) over alleged failure by the Belgian Government to protect people’s health from widespread per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pollution. View >

European Food Safety Authority:

Publish peer reviews of opinions on pesticides: bifenazate > cymoxanil >
Publish a range of online training on food science and communication: View >

Developments to watch

Food Standards Agency: Publish guidance on novel food taste trials and cell cultivated and novel food. View > View >

Environment Agency: To be given powers to impose civil penalties of up to £0.5 million on water companies. View > View >

OFCOM: Impose £630k penalty on business for lack of adequate age control system for access to pornographic material. 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: Highlight new ‘efiling’ requirement in place for non-food imports to the US. View >

Health and Safety Executive: Publish economic growth goals for 2026/7. View >

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