Food legislation constantly evolves, so what does 2024 have lined up for international brands?
Here is a round-up of 10 food laws coming into force before the end of the year that could impact your product compliance.
1: UK Food Origin Labelling
From 1st January 2024, all food products sold in Britain must now include a business name and UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man address on their packaging.
Any food manufactured outside the UK must include the address of their UK-based importer.
This new origin labelling rule replaces requirements for an EU food business operator on packaging as the UK government continues to evolve post-Brexit legislation.
It also follows ‘not for EU’ food labels introduced on pre-packed meat and selected dairy products in October 2023 as part of the Windsor Framework.
2: EU Deforestation Law
As part of the EU's Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), from 30th December 2024, products should only be sold on the EU market if they are:
- Deforestation-free
- Produced following relevant legislation in their country of production
- Covered by a statement indicating a negligible risk of non-compliance
Micro and small businesses will have until 30th June 2025 to comply with this legislation.
3: US Farm Bill
In 2023, the USA extended the expiry date of its Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (also referred to as the ‘Farm Bill’) from September 2023 to September 2024. However, many experts anticipate changes to the bill when it is renewed later this year.
According to Shipman & Goodwin LLP, updates to the Farm Bill in 2024 could include:
- Increased regulation of CBD as a food additive and dietary supplement
- Expanding rural internet access to support farmers and producers investing in agricultural technologies
- New policies and initiatives surrounding regenerative agriculture and holistic farming/ranching practices
- Australia & New Zealand Allergen Labelling
In Australia and New Zealand, changes to the Food Standards Code announced in 2021 will reach their final deadline on 25th February 2024.
From this date, individual tree nuts, molluscs and cereals must be declared separately in food and beverage products.
Allergens should be highlighted in bold within the main statement of ingredients and within a separate allergen summary statement in bold font on their product packaging, as the above example from the 2023 Food Industry Guide to Allergen Management and Labelling demonstrates. Precautionary allergens can also be included in the summary statement.
5: Canada Supplemented Food Rules
Health Canada announced new supplemented food regulations at the end of 2023, stating all relevant products should carry a standardised Supplemented Food Facts table (SFFt) listing the total amount of each supplemental ingredient.
The law change affects all pre-packaged foods containing supplemental ingredients such as amino acids, caffeine, minerals and vitamins.
Certain products must carry an additional caution on their packaging if the type or amount of supplemental ingredient could be unsuitable for vulnerable people, or if the ingredient should not be consumed above a specific volume or mixed with other supplements.
6: UK Wine Reforms
On January 1st 2024, new wine reforms were introduced in the UK, making it legal for still and sparkling wine to be sold in 500ml (near-pint-sized) bottles in supermarkets, restaurants, pubs and bars.
The law change is part of a series of proposed reforms to stimulate UK wine industry innovation, which also includes removing some mandatory packaging requirements, such as mushroom-shaped stoppers and foil caps on sparkling wines, and allowing brands to use different bottle shapes.
Winemakers will also be granted more freedom to use hybrid varieties of grapes to mitigate the impact of disease and climate change on fruit harvests.
7: USA Food Date Labelling Act & No Toxics in Food Packaging Act
The FDA is edging closer to finalising two significant reforms to US food and drink packaging in 2024:
The Food Date Labelling Act is a bill proposing product expiration dates are qualified with either the phrase ‘best if used by’ or ‘use by’. Authorities believe this will help American consumers differentiate between food that’s no longer safe to eat past the listed date and food which is still safe to consume, albeit past its best quality.
Meanwhile, the No Toxics in Food Packaging Act will prohibit the use of five classes of chemical in packaging that comes into contact with food. These materials include:
- Any chemical belonging to the class of ortho-phthalate
- Any chemical belonging to the class of PFAS
- Bisphenol A, B, S, F or AF or related compounds
- Styrene
- Antimony trioxide
While neither bill has been finalised, both acts could come into force before the end of this year.
8: China Foods for Special Medical Purposes Fast-Track
China has introduced new fast-track legislation for any novel foods with special medical purposes (FSMPs) in urgent demand to support critical product development.
The new priority system means it will take less than 30 days to assess new FSMPs.
China has also introduced legislation banning FSMPs from making functional nutrient or component claims while insisting that product names, registration numbers and intended consumers must be visible on the main product display area.
9: Taiwan Fish Oil & Red Yeast Rice Product Labelling
Two popular Taiwanese products have undergone labelling changes for 2024.
All fish oil products must now contain the statement: “infants, pregnant women, patients with diabetes mellitus or people with abnormal blood coagulation taking anticoagulants are suggested to seek doctor’s recommendations before consumption.”
Red yeast rice product packaging must include the statement: “consuming this product together with statin and fibrate-derived hypolipidemic agents or grapefruit may result in liver and kidney damage or rhabdomyolysis.”
10: UK Assimilated Laws (formerly known as Retained EU Law Act)
We’ve already mentioned some specific UK food law changes in 2024, but these could be the tip of the iceberg if the assimilated law programme continues this year.
Assimilated law is the new name for the Retained EU Law (REUL) Act, which grants UK Ministers powers to amend, repeal and replace REUL and assimilated laws.
Food safety has already been identified as an area of significant importance for legal reform, so we’ll keep our eyes peeled throughout the year to see how UK food regulations change.
Need help navigating food law changes in 2024? Hooley Brown can ensure your brand complies with the latest legislation (wherever you trade in the world).
Book a 30-minute discovery call with our Director, Clare Daley, to get the ball rolling.
