Our contents this week:
Retail, Food & Hospitality updates
ASA Upholds complaint over ‘Delivery by Christmas’ claim: Furniture retailer High Seat Ltd used advertising in October 2024 stating“Comfort in Time for Christmas” and “Order by 13th November to guarantee delivery before the big day. T&C’s apply”. A Terms and Conditions page stated “[…] Christmas cut off dates may vary by product and are subject to change, please ask in-store for details”. A customer who placed an order on 2 November was told that delivery was not possible until February or March 2025. The ASA considered that the qualifying information was not sufficiently prominent for consumers to be able to understand that not all items qualified for guaranteed delivery before Christmas.View >
Commercial Agents Regulations to remain unchanged: The UK Commercial Agents Regulations, arising from EU law, define the terms of engagement between a business (principals) and commercial agents. The regulations provide minimum rights for commercial agents in relation to any work they conduct for a principal, including rights of indemnity and compensation. The previous Government consulted on the proposals to revoke the Regulations but in responding the consultation the current Government has concluded that the regulations provide protections to commercial agents when negotiating contracts with principals who are, in many cases, businesses larger than the commercial agents themselves and should be retained. View >
Competition and Markets Authority commits to work to 4 P’s: Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive of the Competition and Markets Authority has published a blog setting out four principles that are to guide the future work of the CMA namely pace, predictability, proportionality and process.View >
EU updates
UK Minister for EU relations sets out approach to delivering UK-EU re-set: The Rt Hon Nick Thomas-Symonds MP, Cabinet Office, Minister for European Union Relations has authored and article and delivered a speech to the EU on the need for and UK approach to achieving a reset in UK-EU relations. The Minister highlighted that between 2021 and 2023, exports to the EU were down 27 per cent and imported goods down 32 per cent and the need to reduce trade barriers. News > Speech >
UK applies full SPS controls to EU food and feed imports through Northern Ireland: From 24 February 2025, EU foods passing through Northern Ireland to enter Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) will be subject to full sanitary and phytosanitary controls. Completion of a pre-notification on the import of products, animals, food and feed system (IPAFFS) and relevant sanitary or phytosanitary certification will be required. View >
EU Regulations:
European Food Safety Authority opinions:
- Dietary exposure:Copper compounds >
- Feed additives:biotin >L-Valine >Lactiplantibacillus plantarum >Vitamin B2 produced with Bacillus subtilis >
- Maximum residue limits:potassium phosphonates >
- Plastic materials in contact with food:N,N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)alkyl(C8-18)amines > N,N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)alkyl(C8-18)amine hydrochlorides >
EU Regulations:
- Authorising feed additives: cajeput essential oil >cedarwood Texas essential oil >clove tincture >endo-1,4 beta xylanase, endo-1,3(4)-beta-glucanase and polygalcturonase >Loigolactobacillus coryniformis >propyl gallate >Saccharomyces cerevisiae >
- Authorising biocidal products: Ecolab CMIT-MIT BPF >Hydrogen peroxide family 1 >insecticides for home use >slveco salvesafe products >
Developments to watch
DEFRA Publish update on ongoing Avian flu Outbreak. View >
DEFRA Extend areas covered by Blue Tongue restrictions.View >
HM Treasury: Consult on mandating ‘e’ invoicing – Responses required by 7th May. View >
Chartered Institute of Environmental Health: Ask Government for sustainable and predictable funding for environmental health profession.View >
DEFRA: Publish pesticides in food and feed monitoring report for quarter 2 2024.View >
For your information
Non-food product safety alerts: Office for Product Safety and Standards >EU Safety Gate >US Consumer Product Safety Commission >
National audit office: Publish guidance for public bodies on annual reporting. View >
No.10: Announce the following Ministerial appointments: View >
- Ashley Dalton MP: Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department of Health and Social Care.
- The Rt Hon. Douglas Alexander MP jointly as a Minister of State in the Cabinet Office, in addition to his role as Minister of State in the Department for Business and Trade.
- Lord Moraes OBE as a Lord in Waiting (Government Whip).
- Lord Wilson of Sedgefield as a Lord in Waiting (Government Whip).
