Author: Sarah Groom

Food Standards Scotland (FSS) and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) have raised concerns about local authority resources and inspection activities.

Findings come from a report by FSS and the FSA reviewing food safety across the UK in 2024.

According to the report, local authorities do not have enough resources to address the substantial backlog of inspections or deal with the growing number of new food businesses that should be inspected.

In Scotland, 20 percent of all allocated food safety roles were unavailable or vacant at the end of 2024. There is a backlog in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland of 95,000 overdue inspections, including 871 high-risk businesses. In Scotland, more than 12,500 out of 72,950 registered firms were unrated in December 2024.

“We remain concerned that local authorities do not have sufficient capacity to deal with a growing number of food businesses, with a substantial backlog of new businesses awaiting their first inspection and feedback on any unknown risks,” said FSA and FSS.

Nine out of ten UK food businesses covered by the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme and
Food Hygiene Information Scheme continue to hold satisfactory or better ratings, but there
is a backlog in England, Wales and Northern Ireland of 95,000 overdue inspections, including
871 high-risk businesses. In Scotland, 17.2% (12,533 out of 72,950) of registered businesses
were unrated in December 2024

The decline in local authority food sampling rates was raised as a concern as surveillance sampling shows that labelling issues are responsible for most non-compliances. Sampling rates in the UK fell by 4.5 percent between 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 from 43,579 to 41,624. Testing went up in Wales and Scotland but fell in England and Northern Ireland.

As in previous years, there are examples of products containing allergens that are not labe;led correctly. Failure to identify allergens on packaging can be life threatening to consumers with food allergies.

“We are particularly concerned to see that sampling activity is well below pre-pandemic levels despite some signs of recovery since 2020/21. Sampling related to food standards has been particularly affected, in part due to resource challenges, and is especially concerning when we know from wider surveillance that there continue to be non-compliances,” said FSA and FSS.

The United States moved from ninth to seventh in the list of countries the UK imports food from. The UK saw a 50 percent increase in beverages and increased volumes of cereals and grains, vegetables, and sugar and syrups imported from the U.S.

Food and feed safety incidents remained stable at 1,903. Pathogenic microorganisms were the most common hazard with 436 alerts. At 290, meat and meat products, excluding poultry, accounted for 15 percent of incidents.

The number of allergy alerts issued by the FSA and FSS rose from 64 to 101. Figures were influenced by a contamination incident involving mustard and peanuts. There were also 67 recalls, mainly because of foreign bodies and microbial contamination.

Heather Kelman, chair of FSS, said: “Overall food standards remain stable, but we should not be complacent given the years of under-investment in capacity and capability. Food needs to be safe, accurately described, and support healthier choices and we need a system that supports growth and trade, and the current trajectory of resource puts that at risk.”

Recruitment of Official Veterinarians (OVs) has improved but remains challenging. By law, OVs must be present for slaughter houses to operate.

During 2024, the UK’s food crime units carried out 29 live investigations with 20 involving meat and meat products. 

Professor Susan Jebb, chair of the FSA, said: “25 years on from the creation of the FSA, safe food is largely taken for granted by consumers. But this remarkable shift from the crisis of confidence in the 1990s didn’t happen by chance – food safety isn’t good luck. As the regulator we need to play our part by setting out our expectations, supporting others in the system to deliver on their responsibilities and taking firm action when problems arise.” 

Asda Stores Ltd has been ordered to pay over £655,000 after pleading guilty to selling food past its use-by-date at two of its Cardiff branches.

The case followed customer complaints, prompting Trading Standards Officers at Cardiff Council to carry out inspections at two Asda supermarkets in Cardiff on six separate occasions between January and June 2024.

During these visits, more than 100 food items were discovered to be past their use-by-date and were subsequently removed from the shelves.

Some of the food products were found to be up to seven days past their use-by-date, with many being sold as ready-to-eat items. Several of these products were clearly marketed towards children, raising concerns about food safety and consumer protection.

At a previous hearing on 21^st May 2025, Asda Stores Ltd pleaded guilty to four charges of selling unsafe food. The offences included the sale of high-risk items such as meat and dairy products, which pose a significant health risk when consumed beyond their use-by dates.

District Judge Charlotte Murphy referred to the seriousness of the offences, the duration of time that the offending took place, the number of food items that were past their use-by date, the size, scale and turnover of the organisation, and the fact that the efforts made by the company to address the offending were ineffective.

Asda Stores Limited was fined £640,000, ordered to pay £15,115 in prosecution costs and a Victim Surcharge of £2,000. The four offences were in breach of Regulation 4 9 (b) of the General Food Regulations 2004, relating to the sale of unsafe food.

In April this year, Asda also received a £410,000 fine following an investigation and prosecution by Cornwall Council Trading Standards which found that the grocer had displayed food that was as much as 4 weeks past its use-by date.

Cllr Norma Mackie, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Shared Regulatory Services at Cardiff Council welcomed the fine imposed by the court, saying: “Consumers should be confident that the food on sale at stores is safe to eat. It is essential that robust systems are in place to prevent the sale of food past its use-by-date. In this case, Asda fell significantly short of the required standards expected. The systems that they had in place were clearly inadequate and we hope that Asda has now taken the necessary steps to rectify these failings to ensure that such incidents do not occur again.”

South Cambridgeshire District Council has voted to become the first Council in the UK to permanently adopt a four-day week – after rigorous independent analysis showed most services got better or were maintained, with significant improvements to recruitment and retention.

Under South Cambridgeshire District Council’s four-day week, staff are expected to carry out 100 per cent of their work, in around 80 per cent of their contracted hours, without reduction in pay. All Council staff will be able to opt-in under a Productivity Policy.

Independent analysis from the Universities of Salford, Bradford and Cambridge highlights how 21 of 24 services they monitored have improved or stayed the same since four-day week working began at the Council in 2023. Those areas which saw a statistically significant improvement include:

• The percentage of calls answered by the Contact Centre.
• The average number of days taken to update Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support claims.
• The average number of weeks for householder planning applications to be decided.
• The percentage of planning applications (both large and small) decided within target or agreed timescales.
• The percentage of Council house repairs complete within 24 hours.
• The percentage of complaints responded to on time.

If performance variations caused by COVID are discounted, every single service monitored either got better or stayed the same.

The number of applications for jobs at the Council rose by more than 120 per cent during the four-day week. Beforehand, only around eight in 10 jobs advertised were filled – sometimes only five out of every 10. The number of workers leaving fell by more than 40 per cent – helping provide benefits to communities through greater stability of services.

The Council has also cut the amount it has to spend over its budgets on staff. There has been a yearly saving of £399,263. This is mainly due to filling vacancies permanently – rather than using more expensive agency workers, which can be disruptive for residents as officers change.

The four-day week has seen more staff say that they intend to continue to work for the Council, a key factor in reducing turnover and high vacancy rates. Mental and physical health and motivation have improved.

Further independent research by the University of Cambridge details how the four-day week has benefited disabled colleagues, those with medical conditions and carers.

The Council initially ran a three-month trial of a four-day week at the start of 2023 to help to ease acute recruitment and retention challenges. That trial was extended for one year. The Council then had to run a public consultation – which took place earlier this year – before being able to determine the next steps. Four-day week working has continued in the meantime.

An independent report from market research company DJS Research into that consultation outlines what responses showed about residents’ perception and experiences of services during the four-day week.

A representative survey shows people felt there had been no statistically significant difference in their experience of nine services. There was a perceived decrease in three services. Elsewhere in the same survey, 45 per cent of people expressed support for the four-day week – but there were a range of responses.

The four-day week data was discussed at their Scrutiny and Overview Committee. District Councillors then voted to become a permanent four-day week employer.

New data published by Public Health Scotland (PHS) reveals people in Scotland are drinking 50% above safe limits, with more deprived communities hit hardest.

Despite recent improvements, Scotland continues to face a significant alcohol problem, with adults who drink alcohol consuming an average of 21.6 units per week. This is more than 50% above the Chief Medical Officers’ safe drinking guidelines of 14 for both men and women.

The Public Health Scotland Alcohol Consumption and Harms dashboard provides evidence on alcohol related harms and inequalities across multiple themes including consumption, hospital admissions and mortality. Today’s release provides 2023-24 data and includes a new dataset for population consumption based on alcohol sales between 2017-2024.

This latest update shows that while the volume of alcohol sold is decreasing, it remains higher than the amount sold per adult in England and Wales. 

More concerning are the stark inequalities revealed in the data. People living in Scotland’s most deprived areas are six times more likely to be hospitalised or die from causes wholly related to alcohol compared to those in the least deprived communities.

Dr Tara Shivaji, Consultant in Public Health Medicine at PHS, said:

“Today’s updates add to the evidence base that as a population, Scotland is consuming too much alcohol. 

“We project a 21% increase in disease burden by 2043 compared to 2019 levels. This means thousands more individuals and families facing the devastating impacts of alcohol related ill-health such as liver disease, heart disease, stroke and cancer.

“Every week, people across Scotland are drinking well above the recommended 14-unit limit, significantly increasing their risk of these serious health conditions.

“The newly released data provides compelling evidence that despite progress, Scotland’s relationship with alcohol remains deeply problematic and requires immediate attention.

“This isn’t inevitable,” Dr Shivaji emphasised. “With urgent, collective and evidence-based action to tackle harmful alcohol use, we can change Scotland’s path.  We need to take steps to implement the preventative measures outlined in the Population Health Framework. This means addressing the availability, affordability, and attractiveness of alcohol, as well as providing early intervention and support for people experiencing problems. But that work must start now.”

Additional empty homes officers are being recruited to bring more privately owned houses back into use.

The new posts are being supported as part of a £2 million investment through the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership in 2025-26 which will see staff take a more proactive and targeted approach to tackling local housing issues.

Funding will also help to train and induct new staff, grow services and ensure empty homes are utilised, including by increasing support for local authorities to make compulsory purchase orders.

The £2 million investment builds on a decade of funding for Empty Homes Officers in 22 local authorities.

Council tax figures from September 2024 show that 43,538 properties across Scotland have been empty for more than six months with 73% of these empty for longer than a year.

Nine local authorities have so far agreed to employ additional empty homes officers.

Housing Secretary Màiri McAllan said: 

“Bringing homes back into use is a vital part of our plan to tackle the housing emergency. When too many families are struggling to find somewhere to live, it is unacceptable to me that that houses should lie empty.

“It’s important to help councils step up measures to turn privately-owned empty properties into much-needed homes and it’s encouraging that local authorities have already come forward to make use of this support.

“As the First Minister has set out, this government is determined to eradicate child poverty – and tackling the housing emergency by making sure families have access to a home is a crucial part of that.”

Scottish Empty Homes Partnership National Manager Tahmina Nizam said: 

“Every home matters as we work together to end Scotland’s housing emergency. 

“In councils across the country Empty Homes Officers are delivering results, with over 11,000 homes having brought back into use since 2010. The additional posts supported by this funding will expand on that vital work. New Empty Homes Officers are already in post at City of Edinburgh Council, while recruitment is underway in several other local authorities. 

“Homes weren’t built to sit empty; every empty home has the potential to transform a family or individuals’ life but collectively they have an enormous role to play in reducing housing need and tackling the housing emergency.  

“We look forward to welcoming more new Empty Homes Officers as they come into post and supporting their efforts to bring more homes back into use.” 

The Scottish Government are consulting on the proposed designations and de-designations of Shellfish Water Protected Area’s (SWPAs), as part of work to meet a statutory obligation. 

SWPAs are designated zones aimed at safeguarding shellfish waters from pollution, ensuring the sustainable development of economically significant shellfish production.

The purpose of the review is to identify areas where it may be appropriate to designate a new SWPA or de-designate (remove) an existing SWPA. The review consists of several steps

It proposes:

• The designation of 14 new sites as SWPAs
• The expansion of 1 existing SWPA
• The de-designation of 29 existing SWPAs due to three continuous years of non-production within the designated area

This consultation seeks input to inform a review of SWPA designations to ensure these designations continue to support the aim of safeguarding shellfish waters and the sustainable development of economically significant shellfish production, without disproportionate costs to other stakeholders.

Read the consultation paper and the Partial Buisness Regulatory Impact Assessment.The consultation papers contains full background information for this consultation.

The consultation is open until the 29th September 2025.

New proposals to improve safety and standards in the non-surgical cosmetic procedures sector have been set out as the Scottish Government publishes its response to a consultation on the issue. 

The proposals, informed by over 2,200 responses and broad stakeholder engagement, intends to introduce a minimum age of 18 for all procedures and classify treatments into three distinct groups which will be regulated to reflect the associated risk:

• group 1 procedures – such as microneedling and non-ablative laser treatments – will require both a premises licence and individual practitioner licences issued by local authorities
• group 2 procedures – including injectables like Botox® and dermal fillers – will have to be supervised by a qualified health care professional in a setting regulated by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS)
• group 3 procedures – for instance, breast and buttock augmentation – will have to be performed by a qualified healthcare professional in an HIS-regulated setting

The Scottish Government will take forward a combination of primary and secondary legislation to implement the proposals. A new Bill regulating Group 2 and Group 3 procedures will be introduced later this year. Secondary legislation under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 will establish the licensing regime for Group 1 procedures.

The latest consultation built on a previous one in 2020 and put forward more detailed proposals for what that further regulation could look like. The recent consultation on the licensing and regulation of non-surgical cosmetic procedures received over 2,200 responses from individuals, businesses, professional bodies, and medical experts. There was widespread support for increased regulation to improve safety and accountability across the sector.

The full consultation response and analysis are available at: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781836918271

Public Health Minister Jenni Minto said:

“It is deeply upsetting to hear of cases where people have suffered as a result of non-surgical cosmetic procedures going wrong. 

“The current gaps in regulation mean that anyone can perform most of these procedures without the need for any formal training or qualifications. These proposals reflect our determination to protect the public and ensure high standards across this growing industry.

“I am particularly heartened by the broad support for action to make the sector safer, and we will continue to work closely with Healthcare Improvement Scotland, local authorities, and the wider industry to support a smooth and effective implementation.”