Welcome to the Retail, Food & Hospitality Regulatory & EU round-up. Week ending 17 May 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

The King’s speech sets out the Governments legislative agenda: Bills included for the next parliamentary session include a European partnership bill to strengthen EU ties, a small business protections bill, a digital ID bill and a Regulating for growth bill. The small business protections bill is intended to set a maximum payment period of sixty days beyond which interest at 8% above the base rate would be payable. Good Food Campaign group organisations including Sustain have criticised the absence of a bill on food policy / security. View > British Retail Consortium > Association of Convenience Stores > British Chambers of Commerce > Friends of the Earth > Local Government Association > View > Sustain > Chartered Institute of Environmental Health >

Advertising watchdog rulings:

• The Advertising Standards Authority has dealt with a complaint by TV presenter and environmentalist Chris Packham about advertising for British meat products by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board. The substance of the complaints was that the TV advertisements did not fully cover the lifecycle impacts of production of the meat in question. In a lengthy judgment Chris Packhams complaint was partially upheld. View >

• The Advertising Standards Authority has upheld two complaints made by the ‘Natural Diamond Council’ regarding advertisement of diamonds by two retailers who were in fact selling ‘synthetic diamonds’. The ASA ruled that synthetic diamonds must be qualified as such in their descriptions. View > View >

• The Portman Group has held that presentation, graphics and packaging of Cactus Jack’s schnapps range and VK Squashka products had appeal to under 18’s and also that other statements on pack could lead to irresponsible consumption. View > View >

EU updates

European Food Safety Authority opinions:

On maximum residue limit for cycloxydim in Honey. View >

On the safety of schizochytrium oil as a novel food for infant and follow on formulae. View >

Developments to watch

HM Treasury: Publish outcome of consultation on regulatory reform in financial services market. View >

OFCOM: Launch investigations of two porn site operators re adequacy of under 18 access controls. View >

Department of Culture, Media and Sport: Publish terms of reference for new illegal gambling task force. View >

Department for Business and Trade: Publish latest KPI performance dashboard for 16 national regulators. View >

Chartered Institute of Environmental Health: Publish guidance and highlight the five commonest errors in dealing with allergy declarations by small businesses. 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: Publish guidance on the disposal of sand products recalled due to the presence of asbestos dust. View >

Welsh Government: Publish details of new Ministerial team. View >

National Audit Office: Publish good practice guide on the use of AI in the public sector. View >