UK seeks input on managing 'grey market' foods

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has launched a consultation on how enforcement agencies can handle grey market foods – those that are not legally allowed to be on sale in the UK.

The agency wants to hear from stakeholders in the food industry on steps that can be taken to identify, regulate, and take action against imports of these products, which include foods that are not formulated, labelled, or intended for the UK market and may contain unauthorised or excessive levels of additives and other illegal and potentially hazardous ingredients like allergens.

The consultation (PDF) notes that grey market goods are often encountered in the confectionery, breakfast cereals, bakery products, soft drink and food supplement sectors, although they can be found in just about any category.

The objective is to promote consistency in enforcement actions, reduce the number of reported incidents that enforcement officers must address, and protect consumers.

Among the questions being asked are whether guidance clearly sets out how authorities can use food law to enforce instances of non-compliant imported foods, and whether current enforcement options like seizures, improvement notices, and prosecutions are sufficient and proportionate.

The overall aim is to assist enforcement officers delivering official controls on imported food at the point of import and inland enforcement of food standards by enforcement officers, according to the FSA.

The consultation is open until October 24.