UK’s Fight Against Food Fraud: A Summary of Recent Initiatives
The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has recently released a comprehensive white paper outlining its strategic approach to combating food fraud. This document, known as the Food Crime Strategic Assessment 2024, provides valuable insights into the current landscape of food crime in the UK and the measures being taken to protect consumers and maintain the reputation of the UK food and drink industry.
Key Objectives
The Food Crime Strategic Assessment outlines several crucial objectives:
- Assessing current threats to the UK food system from food crime
- Identifying opportunities to detect, tackle, and prevent food crime
- Collaborating with local authorities, regulators, and law enforcement agencies
- Alerting the UK food and drink sector to potential threats and supply chain impacts
The Complexity of Food Crime
The report acknowledges the sophisticated nature of food crime in the UK, highlighting that many perpetrators likely have legitimate roles within the food chain. This insider knowledge allows them to exploit system vulnerabilities and conceal their illicit activities.
Seven Key Methods of Food Criminality
The assessment identifies seven primary methods of food crime:
- Misrepresentation
- Adulteration
- Substitution
- Unlawful processing
- Waste diversion
- Theft
- Document fraud
Prominent Themes
Four main themes emerge as the most significant in the current intelligence picture:
- Misrepresentation of red meat and poultry
- Waste diversion, particularly in animal by-product handling
- Illicit servicing of demand for culturally preferred meat products
- Authenticity challenges in supply chains of high-risk commodities
Notable Changes
The report highlights some changes since the 2020 assessment, including:
- A significant reduction in illicitly gathered shellfish entering the UK food chain
- An increase in the availability of ‘grey market goods’ in UK retail
- The reclassification of 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) as a poison, shifting responsibility to policing partners
Looking Ahead
The FSA emphasizes the importance of collaboration with partners to enhance intelligence flows, especially during times of economic pressure. They also acknowledge the challenges faced by local authorities in maintaining regulatory presence and proactivity around food fraud risks.
For the next 12 to 24 months, the agency will continue to monitor threats related to new border arrangements and other emerging issues in the food crime landscape.
To read the full Food Crime Strategic Assessment 2024, please visit
https://www.food.gov.uk/sites/default/files/media/document/FSA-Food%20Crime%20Strategy%202024.pdf
By staying informed and working together, we can all play a part in ensuring the safety and integrity of our food supply.