Retained EU Law Bill: what it means

Food

The UK Government’s Retained EU Law Bill could drastically reduce the high standards and important protections for the food we produce and eat due to the following risks:

• Genetically Modified Food could appear on supermarket shelves with no need for a safety assessment and no requirement to label it has having been genetically altered
• food that has no allergen warning information could be sold – because the requirement to inform consumers of allergens would not exist
• new parents could buy baby infant formula that no longer needs to adhere to current composition requirements such as levels of Omega 3, vitamin D, vitamin A and folic acid

Stakeholder reaction

Food Standards Scotland

“This Bill, as it currently stands, poses a significant risk to Scotland’s ability to uphold the high safety and food standards which the public expects and deserves”.

The Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland

“The Institute recognises that legislation provides an important role in securing food safety, information for consumers, workplace safety and environmental protection. It also provides a level playing field for businesses. Without this legislation there is a danger to public safety and to business competitiveness.”