'Our Food 2023: An annual review of food standards across the UK.' has been published today by the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland (FSS).
This is the third in a series of annual reports since the UK left the EU. Our Food 2023 is an evidence-based assessment of food standards across all four nations of the UK.
The analysis conducted suggests that food standards in the UK remained stable during 2023. Yet there are questions about the resilience of our food system for the future. So, FSA and FSS are highlighting three areas that government, businesses and regulators need to work together to address.
1️⃣ More needs to be done to ensure that consumers can access safe, nutritious food against a backdrop of rising prices.
2️⃣ After a long-term decline in numbers, pressure on the local authority workforce continues, with a significant backlog in the number of food businesses awaiting inspection.
3️⃣ Without a reliable and secure resourcing model for Official Veterinarians, there is increased risk of disruption to the UK meat chain in the years ahead due to staff shortages, as well as increasing costs that will be passed on to businesses and consumers.
FSA and FSS are asking government, industry and regulators to work together on these and the other challenges highlighted in this report. The cooperation of everyone in the food system, from government departments and food businesses, to our colleagues in local authorities, remains essential for ensuring people have access to safe, healthy and sustainable food.
Read the full report.
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