Date and time
Thursday 4 September | 10:00 - 11:00
Event details
This month's topics include:
Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025
The newly enacted Act (Royal Assent: 21 July 2025) introduces sweeping reforms to the UK’s product safety regime. It empowers the Secretary of State to regulate the marketing or use of any products in the UK, beyond only safety issues. The updated Product Safety Code of Conduct outlines how risks will be identified and managed, and new duties are due to be placed on online marketplaces to ensure consumer protection. A call for evidence has already been launched under the new Act, asking if the UK should align with the EU on machinery regulation.
HFSS Promotions Restrictions – what’s next?
After multiple delays, the long-awaited restrictions on promotions of high fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) products are set to come into force in October, these include:
- Volume price promotions (e.g. “buy one get one free”) will be banned from 1 October 2025 in England.
- Additional advertising restrictions (e.g. pre-9pm TV and online ads) will take effect from 5 January 2026.
What does this mean for businesses, particularly when combined with the implications of the Communications Act restrictions on online advertising? Will they even come into force at all given the recent announcement in the Government's recent 10 year Health Plan? We’ll also touch on diverging approaches in Scotland and Wales.
EU Omnibus Directive (s) – simplification, a step backwards or just hidden delay?
The EU’s Omnibus package introduces a “quick fix” to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), allowing Wave One companies to defer certain disclosures until 2026. Meanwhile, the “Stop-the-Clock” directive delays CSRD and CS3D obligations for Waves Two and Three until 2028. We’ll unpack what this means for your reporting timelines and compliance planning.
Sustainability
From the UK’s evolving ESG disclosure standards, to the EU’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, sustainability is now a regulatory imperative:
- The UK is aligning with global ESG trends, with new duties under the Procurement Act and UK Sustainability Reporting Standards.
- The EU is pushing forward with the Ecodesign Regulation, CBAM simplifications, and SFDR reforms, all of which will reshape supply chain and product compliance.
ASA round up as well as other regulatory headlines of the month
Speakers
Dominic Watkins
Kirsty Poots
Abigail Reay
Alicia Barrett