A new chapter in UK-EU food trade may finally be within reach. Negotiations on the long-awaited Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement have come to a close, with businesses now looking to the November summit for clarity on new arrangements and what they will mean in practice.
Yet within the EU, growing divisions over nutrition policy are raising questions about the future of regulatory harmonisation. This month, the European Commission abandoned three major food labelling initiatives, including plans for nutrient profiles. At the same time, Member States are increasingly pursuing their own approaches to nutrition labelling, sugar taxes, and dietary guidelines, creating further uncertainty around regulatory consistency for businesses operating across the single market.
Meanwhile, efforts to simplify EU food safety rules are moving forward. The Council has adopted its position on the remaining elements of the Food and Feed Omnibus package, bringing proposals to streamline legislation and reduce administrative burdens a step closer to adoption.
Health and nutrition also remain firmly on the EU policy agenda. New research from the European Commission's Joint Research Centre has reinforced the need for food reformulation, while the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has outlined its priorities for keeping pace with emerging food technologies, evolving policy demands, and growing scrutiny of ultra-processed foods.
From progress towards the UK-EU SPS agreement and efforts to simplify food safety rules to growing fragmentation in nutrition policy and renewed calls for food reformulation, this edition explores the key developments shaping the food and nutrition sector across the UK and EU.
The Food & Nutrition Team, Whitehouse Communications
Policy and regulatory developments
Council of the EU adopts position on Food and Feed Omnibus while scrutiny continues in the European Parliament
On 30th September, the Council of the EU set its position on the remaining part of the Food and Feed Omnibus package, which aims to simplify and streamline food and feed safety legislation, reduce administrative burdens for farmers and agrifood businesses, and improve EU competitiveness. Key measures include accelerating the approval of biocontrol products, extending approval periods for plant protection and biocidal products, and simplifying requirements for feed additives and certain products made using genetically modified microorganisms.
The package has proved controversial, particularly over its potential implications for pesticide safety and regulatory oversight. Following the Council’s latest move, consumer organisation BEUC raised concerns about longer pesticide approval periods and the implications for regular scientific review, while PAN Europe argued that the position does not sufficiently address their concerns about pesticide safeguards.
The European Parliament is yet to agree on its position on the file. The topic was not included on the agenda for its November meetings, indicating the earliest an agreement would be reached would be early December. The Council will begin negotiations with the European Parliament once its position is adopted, with the aim of reaching a provisional agreement on the package by the end of 2026.
UK-EU SPS agreement negotiations conclude ahead of November Summit
Negotiations on the UK-EU SPS Agreement have concluded, with a UK-EU Summitscheduled for 20th November in Brussels, where the final agreement is expected to be announced. In preparation, the UK Government is developing updated guidance on the agreement and transition arrangements, including changes to food labelling requirements and the treatment of genetic technologies. Businesses will be able to access support and practical information through the Business Growth Service.
Following the summit, government-led calls and webinars are expected to provide further detail on implementation. Additional sessions are anticipated on specific labelling requirements, including the proposed “Not for EU” designation.
According to recent media reporting, the agreement could see the UK align with EU decisions on novel food authorisations while retaining flexibility for products not yet assessed by the EU. However, these arrangements have not yet been officially confirmed.
New study confirms need for food reformulation to improve nutrient content of pre-packaged foods
This month, the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) published a major study assessing the nutritional quality of more than 180,000 packaged food products across 21 European countries. While the EU Safe Hearts Plan, which aims to prevent cardiovascular risks, calls for national reformulation initiatives to reduce salt, sugar, and saturated fat, the findings confirm that reformulation is both possible and urgently needed.
The report provides one of the most comprehensive overviews to date of the nutrient composition of packaged foods and is supported by the launch of the Food and Beverages Label Explorer (FABLE), a free online database offering access to product-level food label information.
The analysis focused on five key food categories, including breakfast cereals, bread products, dairy products, processed meats and soft drinks. While the findings show progress in some areas, such as lower sugar levels in breakfast cereals and reduced salt content in bread products, the JRC found that gains in one nutrient can be offset by increases in others. For example, reductions in sugars in breakfast cereals were accompanied by higher levels of total and saturated fats.
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) sets out priorities for future-proofing food safety science
On 29th September, EFSA published an editorial outlining the scientific capabilities needed to keep pace with food system innovation, policy changes, and emerging risks, while delivering faster and robust risk assessments. The paper identifies gaps in EFSA’s scientific preparedness, particularly in novel bio-based production and processing technologies, novel food and feed products, new nutrient sources, applications of new genomic techniques (NGTs), and food contact materials derived from circular bioeconomy practices.
It also highlights emerging policy priorities under the EU Safe Hearts Plan, including addressing concerns about ultra-processed foods (UPFs). EFSA is monitoring ongoing scientific and policy discussions in anticipation of potential requests for scientific advice, including a proposed extension of its remit under the Biotech Act to cover all aspects of nutrition and advise on the nutritional properties of food products and practices, including those involving advanced biotechnologies.
EFSA emphasises that sustained investment in research and innovation, partnerships, and capacity building will be essential to provide more forward-looking and consistent scientific advice. This could lead to a more forward-looking approach to EU scientific risk assessment and strengthen EFSA’s capacity to assess emerging food safety and health risks.
The European Union’s approach to health and nutrition policy continues to fragment, as Member States increasingly pursue national measures to influence consumer behaviour and improve diets. From nutrition labelling schemes and sugar taxes to school food guidelines, recent developments highlight the different approaches emerging across Europe, raising questions about consistency for businesses operating in the single market.
This month, Estonia was the latest country to announce that it would be introducing the Nutri-Score on food labels on a voluntary basis. On the other hand, Poland is reportedly banning the use of the Nutri-Score following lobbying from the dairy industry, which argued that it can portray products such as cheese and butter as unhealthy. Polish products with Nutri-Score have to be off supermarket shelves by 2030, however those made elsewhere in Europe can remain under free-market rules. Meanwhile, Norway is updating its voluntary Keyhole labelling scheme, alongside Sweden, Denmark and Iceland, to align nutritional criteria with the 2023 Nordic Nutrition Recommendations, including measures to reduce salt and increase wholegrain and fibre content.
More Member States are also introducing fiscal measures. The German government has approved draft legislation to tax sugar-sweetened drinks from July 2027. Subject to approval from the Bundestag, the measure is expected to generate revenue of €600 – 900 million to fund its health insurance system. Meanwhile, France plans to extend its existing levy on sugary drinks to high-sugar processed foods.
As concerns about ultra-processed foods continue to grow, Portugal has introducednew school food guidelines promoting fresh and minimally processed foods. In Hungary, the National Association of Dietitians is focusing on consumer education, emphasising that processing alone does not determine whether a food is healthy.
Against this backdrop, on 23rd October the European Commission formally abandoned three food labelling policy initiatives: the revision of rules on food information to consumers, labelling requirements for alcoholic beverages, and the establishment of nutrient profiles. The proposals faced considerable resistance from several Member States who argued that their different food cultures were not compatible with standardised nutrition labelling. The decision to officially abandon these initiatives shows that the Commission has conceded to these arguments and any progression towards further harmonisation is stalled for the foreseeable future. However, in a European single market where internal market barriers are equivalent to a 40% tariff and obesity rates continue to grow, one might argue that the failure to harmonise is a missed opportunity to boost the single market and tackle the EU’s biggest public health challenge.
Shaping the future of sustainable food systems
This month’s top industry initiatives selected by the Whitehouse team:
- Coca-Cola, Nestlé and Danone commit to improving recycling claims on plastic bottles: The companies will clarify that claims about 100% recycled plastic do not include bottle caps and labels, and ensure their packaging and marketing do not mislead consumers about the recyclability or environmental benefits of plastic bottles.
Do you think your sustainable initiative deserves a shout-out? Contact: eden.reyhanian@whitehousecomms.com
Engagement opportunities
Engage with these consultations to shape the issues affecting your organisation:
- European Commission consultation on VAT and circular economy. The deadline is 4th November.
- EFSA consultation on the application for authorisation of Hydroxytyrosol as a novel food. The deadline is 5th November.
- European Commission consultation on Internal market information system (IMI) – revision of EU rules. The deadline is 16th November.
- FSA consultation on the authorisation of 16 regulated products (novel foods) 2026. The deadline is 16th November.
- EFSA call for expressions of interest in EFSA’s advice for Novel Food SMEs – 2026 edition. . The deadline is 18th November.
- European Commission consultation on plastic packaging containing biobased feedstock – EU rules. The deadline is 13th January 2027.
Events calendar
- 17-19 November: Food Ingredients (Frankfurt).
- 17 November: Europe’s Life Sciences Competitiveness Agenda – Innovation, investment and Global Leadership in a Changing World | Rapporteur|(Brussels).
- 12-14 April: Foodex Manufacturing Solutions (Birmingham).
Get in touch: Zoé Choulika, Account Director, Food, Public Health and Sustainability zoe.choulika@whitehousecomms.com