Transparency data

Chief Executive's Report to the Board: September 2026

Updated 15 September 2026

Applies to England, Northern Ireland and Wales

Report to the Food Standards Agency (FSA) September 2026 Board meeting.

1. Introduction

1.1 This has been a busy quarter for the FSA, with significant developments across our strategic priorities including the UK-EU sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement, regulation for growth, innovation, system resilience and our response to major incidents. A fuller update on our work to prepare for an SPS agreement is provided in the separate Board paper being considered alongside this report.

2. Rewiring the state announcement

2.1 On 31 July, the UK Government published a Cabinet Statement on Rewiring the State. It sets out a vision for devolution by default, with strategic and local authorities supported to deliver economic growth and improve public services through shifting power, funding and accountability from Whitehall to local leaders. The statement also signals a smaller and more strategic role for central government and arm’s length bodies as they focus on the challenges best dealt with at a national level. These changes will require much close working between national and local governments.

2.2 As a public body working across national and local government, the FSA already has rich experience of working across the nations and in collaboration with local authority delivery partners. We can bring this experience to the cross-government work to develop and deliver this agenda. We are working with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) as our sponsor department and others across government to consider the implications of Rewiring the State for our future work. We will continue to be guided by our overriding statutory objective to protect public health and protect the interests of consumers in relation to food.

3. Regulation for growth

3.1 The FSA has agreed five economic growth goals for 2026/7, which were set out in a letter from the DHSC Minister to the FSA Chair published in July. Our goals recognise the FSA’s work:

1. To support delivery of the UK-EU SPS Agreement to maintain food standards and safety and remove trade barriers.
2. To develop proposals for a national approach to regulation for large food businesses in England under our wider Future of Food Regulation Programme.
3. To deliver our Cell Cultivated Products (CCP) Sandbox.
4. To use modern technology and AI approaches to strengthen our delivery of regulatory responsibilities.
5. To support DHSC to develop an enforcement approach for Healthier Food Targets and Reporting.

3.2 We took a paper to Business Committee in September reporting on progress against the goals, noting that the FSA is on track for delivery. Business Committee will continue to receive quarterly reports on the FSA’s progress in delivering these goals.

3.3 We will continue to work closely with DHSC and Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST) on the wider Regulation for Growth agenda, recognising that the FSA’s core job as a food safety and standards regulator supports a thriving UK agri-food sector, giving consumers and trading partners the confidence to trust and buy British food, and providing certainty and a level playing field for businesses.

4. Innovation

4.1 The FSA’s work on innovation continues at pace, with the next tranche of regulatory guidance published in July under our regulatory sandbox for CCPs, working alongside Food Standards Scotland (FSS). This includes scientific guidance on CCP identity, production and microbiology, and regulatory guidance on how general food law and hygiene regulations apply to the production of CCPs. In addition, based on the learnings of the Sandbox, the FSA and FSS published advice for applicants on how to improve the quality of CCP applications for market authorisation. Alongside these CCP-specific publications, the Sandbox also published additional advice for businesses planning to run novel food taste trials.

4.2 The second and final module of the Innovation Research Programme (IRP) concluded in June 2026. Key outputs included the FSA taking a leading role in a precision fermentation focused event at Rome Nutrition Week 2026, and publication of a blog clarifying allergen labelling expectations for precision fermented foods, helping businesses navigate regulatory requirements and supporting consumer confidence.

4.3 Finally, the FSA has received our first applications for the market authorisation of precision bred organisms (PBOs), which are currently undergoing validation checks. We have also received five enquiries through our new PBO Business Support Service, designed to provide pre-submission advice for potential applications. In addition, we have produced PBO enforcement guidance, which was shared with Local and Port Health Authorities in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

5. School Food Standards

5.1 Earlier this year, the Department for Education (DfE) consulted on proposals to revise the School Food Standards for England to align with the latest nutritional guidance, to ensure schools provide children with healthy food and drink, and to make sure that children have the energy and nutrition they need across the school day.

5.2 In the consultation, the department also recognised the importance of supporting and assuring compliance with the standards and set out two specific measures: appointment of a lead governor responsible for compliance, and a requirement for schools to publish their food policies and menus on their websites. The consultation paper stated that DfE would continue to develop a broader compliance framework and approach.

5.3 The FSA has continued to work closely with DfE as it considers consultation responses and future policy development of the broader compliance approach, providing technical expertise and experience from our role as a regulator. We anticipate that the consultation response will be published shortly.

6. Northern Ireland High Fat, Salt and Sugar promotions consultation

6.1 In July, the FSA and the Department of Health launched a joint public consultation on proposals to restrict the promotion of products high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) in Northern Ireland. This is a key part of the FSA’s work as a named delivery partner in the Healthy Futures Obesity Strategic Framework.

6.2 The consultation seeks views on proposals to restrict volume price promotions, the placement of HFSS products in prominent in-store and online locations, and free refills of sugar sweetened drinks. The proposals aim to support healthier food environments by reducing exposure to promotions that can encourage the purchase and consumption of HFSS products. The consultation will also gather evidence on the potential impacts for businesses, consumers, and public health, as well as views on enforcement arrangements and implementation timescales.

6.3 FSA officials in Northern Ireland are undertaking a comprehensive programme of stakeholder engagement throughout the consultation period to encourage participation and to help ensure that views are gathered from a broad range of stakeholders.

7. System resilience

7.1 Earlier this month the National Audit Office’s published a report on the resilience of the food supply chain to disruptions. Its findings reinforce the direction of travel the FSA has been pursuing over the past year, with an increasing focus on anticipating and mitigating risks across the food system, rather than relying solely on incident response. Through our new Systems Resilience Directorate and our strong partnerships across government, industry and local authorities, we will continue to support Defra’s work to strengthen resilience and preparedness for future shocks to the food system.

7.2 Recent events have underlined the importance of this resilience and preparedness. The FSA activated its Extreme Weather Protocol during all eight UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) amber or red heat alerts recorded between May and August 2026. In my recent report to the Business Committee I noted a very significant increase in animals arriving at slaughterhouses dead or suffering from heat stress during the summer months. The FSA does not enforce animal welfare law on farm or during transport, but our presence in slaughterhouses means that we are in a position to identify these issues. We have worked closely with Defra and APHA to strengthen the protocol. Improvements now in place include extended reporting during amber alerts, prioritisation of all heat stress cases, strengthened guidance for Official Veterinarians, increased industry awareness of mitigation measures, and earlier intervention with transporters

7.3 Looking ahead, we are continuing to strengthen our understanding of emerging risks that could place further pressure on the food system. Through engagement with Defra, the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), the FSA is contributing to horizon scanning and risk assessment activities to better understand the potential impacts of the El Niño Southern Oscillation on global food supply chains, food distribution networks, imported food, and animal welfare.

8. Salmonella outbreak

8.1 The FSA continues to support the UK Health Security Agency-led public health investigation into an outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis first identified in May this year, and which UKHSA has now extended to include three potentially linked clusters. FSA’s response is being coordinated through our own incident response process, with teams from across the Agency contributing to the investigation including food chain tracing, policy guidance provision, communications with consumers, and stakeholder engagement.

8.2 Our ongoing food chain investigations indicate a potential link to consumption of eggs supplied to several UK hospitality and catering businesses. Action continues to trace the source of the outbreak; at this time there is no identified link to UK-produced eggs or poultry, but there are potential links to imported eggs. Most UK hen flocks are vaccinated against Salmonella and have strong biosecurity and monitoring for Salmonella in place; this is required by the British Lion mark and Laid in Britain assurance schemes.

8.3 Given the potential links to imported eggs, the FSA is working closely with Defra’s UK Office for SPS and Trade Assurance, which oversees market access and assurance arrangements for imported food. The FSA provides food safety expertise to risk-based assurance activities to ensure exporting countries maintain controls that meet GB food safety requirements.

8.4 We have proactively issued advice to consumers, including through a new food fact check blog and media interviews with our Chief Scientific Adviser Professor Ian Young. We have emphasised that UK produced eggs with the British Lion mark or produced under the Laid in Britain assurance scheme are safe to eat, but have advised vulnerable consumers to ensure eggs are thoroughly cooked if they are uncertain of their provenance, for example when eating out. We will continue to take any action necessary to protect public health. The FSA safe egg handling advice for catering was also revised and published on gov.uk on 14 August, and we have been working with trade bodies and other partners to promote this guidance.

9. Engagements

9.1 This quarter has involved a broad programme of engagement across government, industry and international partners. Internationally, I participated in two trilaterals alongside my newly appointed counterpart at the FSS, Catherine Topley. In July, Catherine and I met with Greg Dempsey, CE of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, and in August, we met with Rajit Punhani, CE of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. Separately, I also met Dr Don Prater, Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods at the US Food and Drug Administration, and we agreed to establish a six-monthly programme of engagement between our organisations. More recently, I attended a reception at Canada House to mark the entry into force of the Canada-UK Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), providing an opportunity to engage with government and trade stakeholders.

9.2 Engagement with European partners has remained an important priority as discussions on SPS issues continue. During the quarter, I met counterparts from the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Ireland, and have worked closely with Defra colleagues to support wider engagement with EU member states. This programme will continue into the autumn, including engagement with several European ambassadors and senior officials.

9.3 I have continued my regular programme of cross-government engagement, meeting counterparts across Defra, DHSC, the UK Health Security Agency, the Environment Agency, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, and the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade. I have also participated in wider forums led by other departments on food system resilience, illegal meat imports, school food policy and the future of the Civil Service.

9.4 Alongside this, I have maintained regular engagement with industry and third-sector stakeholders. This included meetings with the Food and Drink Federation, WRAP, the National Farmers’ Union, Tesco, the Association of Convenience Stores, the Food Foundation, Felix, UK Hospitality, the Shellfish Association of Great Britain and the Institute of Grocery Distribution. I also convened my biannual meeting with meat industry stakeholders, attended by representatives from across the sector. With the Chair, I attended an event at Speaker’s House celebrating the tenth anniversary of The Bread and Butter Thing, a community food network focused on reducing food insecurity.