The consultation was launched on 2 October, and is open until 24 December 2025. This consultation applies to England, Northern Ireland (NI) and Wales, and the FSA is seeking views on a proposed ban on the use of: in FCMs (i.e. materials and articles that are intended to be, or can reasonably be expected to … Continue Reading
The UK modern slavery regime has faced scrutiny in recent years for failing to keep up with requirements in other jurisdictions. A recent UK government publication offers a timely and illustrative example of how UK modern slavery laws are being reviewed. The document outlines the Government’s response to various recommendations made by the Joint Committee … Continue Reading
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published its annual on work-related fatal injury statistics. In the period April 2024 to March 2025, there were a total of 124 worker deaths, down 14 from the previous year. The most common causes of work-related fatal injury were fall from height, being struck by a moving object … Continue Reading
The tyre waste exemption regime is changing in the UK, and it may impact your existing environmental permit. For example, if you have an exemption on a permitted site you may need to vary your permit, or you may lose an exemption if you benefited from more than one. You will certainly need to keep … Continue Reading
Following the launch and review of their fourth annual consultation, the Sentencing Council for England and Wales has now published an amended version of its Sentencing Guidance, that came into force on the 1st of June 2025. The Sentencing Council recognised concerns that current guidance did not provide sufficient clarity on sentencing Very Large Organisations … Continue Reading
After a few years off, we are delighted to bring back our Annual UK Environmental, Safety & Health Conference this June. The theme is Managing Developing ESH Risks in the UK and Internationally. We are excited to have the following speakers join us for what will be an interesting discussion:… Continue Reading
The UK’s Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT) was introduced in April 2022. It was initially set at £200 per tonne (£210.82 since April 2023) and applies to importers and manufacturers of plastic packaging with less than 30% recycled content. HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has been seeking to raise more awareness of PPT and has indicated that the … Continue Reading
With a planned launch date of 16 August 2023, the pressure is on for the Scottish government to deliver the deposit return scheme (“DRS”) for drinks containers. Despite increased scrutiny of industry readiness, Circularity Scotland (“CSL”) reaffirmed on 2 March that the scheme is on track and that producers responsible for more than 95% of … Continue Reading
The Plastic Packaging Tax (the Tax) came into force on 1 April 2022 and applies to finished plastic packaging components (PPC) produced for commercial purposes or imported into the UK that contain less than 30% recycled plastic by weight. Since our previous article and our FAQ for businesses explaining the Tax, HMRC has updated its original guidance … Continue Reading
The UK Regulator – the Competition and Markets Authority (“CMA”) – continues to be active in cracking down on misleading green claims, this time targeting the fast-moving consumer goods industry (“FMCG”). In this piece, our IP and Technology colleagues discuss the FMCG investigation and the Advertising Standards Authority’s (“ASA“) pursuit of misleading green claims. Read the … Continue Reading
A recording of PFAS, REACH and Other Chemical Regulatory Issues the second webinar in our two-part 2022 Chemicals Workshop webinar series, in partnership with the Ohio Chemistry Technology Council (OCTC), is now available. In this session, we provided an overview of the rapidly evolving landscape related to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including the proposed … Continue Reading
It is no secret that China has long struggled with implementing measures for pollution control and regulating hazardous chemicals. We have watched this issue closely and published about it in years past here. However, on May 24, 2022, the China State Council issued its most focused plan yet, known as the “New Pollutant Control Action … Continue Reading
In April, we published an article about the UK COVID-19 Public Inquiry’s four-week long consultation process into its draft Terms of Reference (“TORs”), which will shape the scope of issues to be addressed by the Inquiry. Last month, the Inquiry published its summary report into the consultation, having analysed the 20,000 responses received, and meeting … Continue Reading
The plastic packaging tax (the ‘Tax’) came into force on 1 April 2022, with UK businesses which produce or import plastic packaging components in quantities of 10 or more tonnes per year affected. However, despite already being in force, research conducted by YouGov, on behalf of Veolia, has found that a high proportion of retail … Continue Reading
The Food (Promotion and Placement) (England) Regulations 2021 will come into force on 1 October 2022 and impact foods High in Fat, Salt and Sugar (HFSS) by introducing restrictions on volume offers and new rules on placement in retail stores and promotion. These include a 9 p.m. watershed on all advertising of HFSS foods and … Continue Reading
Squire Patton Boggs invites you to join us for a webinar on 5 May 2022 where we will discuss the environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues that affect food manufacturers, from changes in legislation, priorities for remaining compliant, navigating supply chain transparency and how, together, these feed into the wider corporate governance obligations both current … Continue Reading
With just under a week remaining on the Cabinet Office’s online consultation process into the COVID-19 Public Inquiry, we explore the current stage of the Public Inquiry process, the next steps, and the importance of ensuring organisations and individuals have their say in the draft Terms of Reference (“TORs”) by 7 April 2022, which will … Continue Reading
There is less than a month to go before the UK’s new Calorie Labelling (Out of Home Sector) (England) Regulations 2021 (the “Regulations”) come into force (6 April 2022). The Regulations include obligations for calorie labelling for ‘non-prepacked foods’ in England, which are sold in a form suitable for ‘immediate consumption’. They will require businesses … Continue Reading
The OPSS has published details of its enforcement actions during the six months from 1 April 2021 to 30 September 2021. Actions related to product safety included orders for forfeiture and destruction, compliance notices and the issue of mandatory withdrawal and recall notices. Relevant businesses included businesses based in Great Britain, but also a significant … Continue Reading
The consultation seeks views on the new regulator’s plans, which set out how it will protect and improve the environment by holding public authorities to account. The draft strategy defines what the OEP considers to be a “public authority” and this includes the government, government agencies, local authorities and similar organisations, and private companies carrying … Continue Reading
The consultations seek views on regulated product applications for six novel foods that have been submitted for authorisation to the FSA and on precautionary allergen labelling and precautionary allergen information, such as “may contain”, on many types of food.… Continue Reading
2021 has provided unique challenges for businesses operating across the advertising, media and brands industry. Aside from the impact of the pandemic, we are seeing a changing and challenging landscape due to increasing economic, consumer, regulatory and compliance pressures. With increased exposure as a result of these pressures, Squire Patton Boggs and BDO will be … Continue Reading
Colleagues in our Intellectual Property & Technology team recently published an article focusing on the Competition and Market Authority’s (“CMA”) greenwashing investigation. Greenwashing is the use of disingenuous environmental or eco-friendly claims (for example, “natural”, “recyclable”, “organic”) by businesses to market products to consumers. This may be done via “statements, symbols, emblems, logos, graphics, colours … Continue Reading
Our Environmental, Safety & Health team is pleased to share with you the latest edition of our monthly newsletter, frESH Law Horizons: Key Developments in UK & EU Environment, Safety and Health Law and Procedure; providing bite-size updates on EU and UK law, procedure and policy. The updates covered in this month’s edition include (among … Continue Reading
