Welcome to the Retail, Food & Hospitality Regulatory & EU round-up. Week ending 07 June 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

Further consultation launched on tackling zero hours and similar contracts: The Department for Business and Trade is seeking views on the details of its plans to giving employees the right to guaranteed hours, where the number of hours offered reflects the hours worked by a qualifying worker during a reference period, reasonable notice of shifts and changes to these, payment for shifts cancelled, curtailed or moved at short notice. The detailed questions also cover timescales for implementation. Responses are required by 25 August. Consultation > Press release > British Retail Consortium > Association of Convenience Stores > UK Hospitality > 

Consultation on simplifying climate change reporting rules in financial services: The Financial Conduct Authority has launched a consultation on plans to simplify its rules on climate change reporting allowing the omission of emissions data in a move that it believes may remove a £20 million pound cost burden from the sector. Responses are required by 13 July. View >

Food Standards Agency Board to consider need for ‘Risky foods framework’: The framework currently sets out how the FSA will approach the safety of foods for which the risks exceed the nature or levels considered broadly acceptable to the FSA, but which some people may accept for other benefits, such as choice or perceived health benefit. These risks are unacceptable unless specific additional controls are designed and consistently applied.

The framework supports decision-making in areas where scientific, behavioural and economic factors interact to aid identification of such foods, and to monitor the controls applied to them to ensure they remain fit for purpose. The FSA claims that since its development, the political, policy, scientific and consumer context has changed, including risk communication, proportional regulation and an evolution in the FSA role in providing guidance to businesses necessitating a reconsideration of the need for the framework. News > Board paper >

DEFRA Loses twice in the High Court:

The Department has lost a judicial review instigated by the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers challenging the basis of the appropriateness of charges made by the FSA for official controls and enforcement activities. View >

In an application for a judicial review brought by Beyond GM and ORS the High Court has granted leave to hear a judicial review hearing on the basis that the Precision Breeding Regulations seeking to apply a less rigorous regime for genetically modified crops may be irrational. View >

In a case involving an antique ivory item a 1^st tier tribunal has ruled in favour of the DEFRA regulations that an antique item including ivory made in 1930 from ivory dating from before 1918 fails to satisfy the requirements of an exemption to allow its sale as a ‘pre-1918’ item. View > 

EU updates

EU Commission publish roadmap for ending the testing of chemicals on animals: With 22 actions under three pillars, the roadmap envisages gradual replacement of animal testing for chemical safety assessments in 15 domains, including chemicals for industrial and consumer uses, pesticides and biocides, pharmaceuticals, and food and feed additives. The Commission will start implementing the roadmap immediately, in close collaboration with Member States, EU agencies and stakeholders. By 2029, the Commission will organise a high-level conference to take stock of progress. The conference will focus on the increased use and uptake of non-animal approaches in all relevant EU legislation, including REACH and will include consulting stakeholders on the way forward. View >

EU Commission publish monthly report on member state food fraud suspicions: The report provides details of 188 food fraud suspicions identified from 859 member state iRASFF notifications in April 2026. View >

Developments to watch

Advertising Standards Authority: Publish brief guidance on nutrient profiling and foods high in fat, sugar and salt. View > View >

Gambling Commission: Highlight a sweep of web sites for under 18 appeal by the Advertising Standards Authority commencing 11^th June. View >

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs: Publish details of number of responses to recent consultations on castration and tail docking of lambs and banning cages for laying hens. View > View >

Defra: Publish updates on disease outbreaks: Avian flu > Blue tongue >

Protect UK: Highlight online seminar on terrorist crime prevention 24 June. View >

For your information

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

Portman Group: Survey finds high level of conformity with alcohol health labelling rules. View >

OFCOM: Announce the confirmation of Sir Ian Cheshire as Chair. View >

HM Treasury: Publish ‘Orange guide’ to risk management for use by government organisations. View >