Transparency data

Welsh Food Advisory Committee (WFAC) Director Report: 9 July 2026

Published 29 June 2026

Applies to Wales

1. Summary

This report brings together key updates for the Committee, including:

• a link to the Chief Executive’s Report and update presented to the Board at its meeting on 17 June 2026
• an overview of recent developments for the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in Wales, including key areas of progress and specific matters of interest for Wales

Members of the committee are invited to:

• note the update
• invite the Director to expand on any issues for further discussion

2. Chief Executive’s Report to the FSA Board

The latest Chief Executive’s Report was presented at the Board meeting on 17 June 2026 and provides wider organisational context for the updates included in this report.

3. Update from the Director for FSA in Wales

This is my final report to the Committee as the Director of the FSA in Wales. It is a fitting opportunity to reflect with pride on the progress made over the last 18 months and to recognise the collective effort behind it. I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to the Chair and Committee members for your continued support, constructive challenge and commitment throughout this period.

Since WFAC’s last themed meeting in May, the Wales team has continued to drive a broad programme of strategic engagement and delivery activity. This report draws out key developments since my last update and highlights where engagement with partners, local authorities (LAs) and stakeholders is helping to shape progress.

Following the Senedd election in May, it has been confirmed that Nerys Evans MS, Deputy Minister for Public and Preventative Health, has the FSA in Wales within her remit. The team is facilitating engagement with both Ministers and key Members of the Senedd to build early relationships, raise awareness of our priorities and support effective collaboration with the new administration.

The team is also maintaining strong momentum in taking forward the recommendations from the Welsh Government’s review of the FSA’s function in Wales. Progress is being made across all areas, with the Oversight Group meeting recently to review delivery, test progress and help ensure the work continues to move forward in a coordinated and purposeful way.

I have continued to maintain close and regular engagement with key stakeholders, particularly LAs and Directors of Public Protection Wales, recognising their critical role in delivery and assurance. Recent discussions have focused on the Welsh Government review recommendations, Enhanced Registration and the Future of Food Regulation programme.

Over the last quarter, the policy teams in Wales have continued to make strong progress across a number of important workstreams, including:

• Continuing to lead on SPS preparation work in our broader remit for food standards, which includes ensuring that Wales-specific policy, legislative and operational considerations are reflected as the programme develops. We continue to work closely with Defra and Welsh Government on all elements of the work including public consultation, business and local authority readiness.

• Holding the first meeting of the new Food Supplements Sub-group, where we discussed vitamin D, chosen because there have been regular incidents where vitamin D was being sold above guideline amounts, or which contained more than the labelled dose. This, in some cases, led to hospitalisations due to vitamin D toxicity. This has led to a programme of follow-up work to strengthen guidance and support compliance.

• Holding a meat charging stakeholder event in early June, which provided a valuable opportunity to engage directly with stakeholders, explain the work underway and gather early feedback to help inform next steps. We are currently analysing the responses to the consultation on proposals for a revised system of financial support for abattoirs and game handling establishments, which closed on 12 June. Final proposals will then be shared with the Board for consideration and agreement.

• Taking forward a broad package of regulated product applications, including 16 Precision Fermentation applications, the non-routine Feed Safety proposed revocation of authorisation application and the Traditional Novel Food (Kenari Nut) application. We will consult on these products over the summer.

• Progressing the Wales-specific Novel Food enforcement guidance, which will support LA enforcement officers in applying and enforcing the Novel Foods regulations in Wales, explaining the legislative framework and the enforcement tools available where non-compliance is identified. In the same vein, CBD enforcement guidance is being developed so it can be published ahead of any potential CBD authorisations.

Our delivery teams, who work closely with LAs and lead regulatory audit and consumer protection activity in Wales, have also been progressing a range of important work, including:

• Continuing to support LAs through the transition to the Food Standards Delivery Model (FSDM). Three in-person case study training sessions have been arranged for July in Llangefni, Cardiff and Llandrindod Wells. We have also delivered two sessions with representatives from Northern Ireland District Councils to specifically cover their Management Information Systems; this has enabled practical demonstrations of how systems will change following full implementation of the FSDM.

• Attending the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) Conference to present the Steve Whitehouse Food Award. Congratulations to Selina Griffiths from Caerphilly County Borough Council, who was named Wales Food Standards Student of the Year. This was a valuable opportunity to recognise the contribution of emerging talent in food standards, strengthen our links with trading standards colleagues and showcase the importance of professional development across the regulatory community in Wales.

• Bringing together the all-Wales Local Authority Shellfish group to update on the action plan following recommendations from the EU Live Bivalve Molluscs (LBM) audit in 2025. This meeting forms part of a wider series of engagement events with industry and LAs.

• The regulatory audit team in Wales has completed two local authority audits during the period of this report. The audits focused on sampling activity and reviewed relevant open actions from previous audits. This marks an important step in strengthening assurance around sampling activity and will help inform future audits as the programme continues to develop. Further audits are scheduled for later in the year, and a summary report will be published at the end of the programme.

• The Incidents team issued a Food Alert for Action (FAFA) to protect consumers and support businesses in responding to serious concerns linked to frozen foods produced under the brand names Inarah’s Frozen Foods, Inarah’s Fine Foods and New York Crispy. The offences identified included fraudulent use of approval codes on products of animal origin, absence of a food safety management system and lack of traceability, highlighting the importance of prompt regulatory action and clear communication to help safeguard public health.

• We are currently commissioning the annual FSA in Wales surveillance sampling survey, which provides funding opportunities for Welsh LAs to undertake targeted sampling and testing of food products. This programme helps to identify emerging risks and monitor food safety, authenticity and standards compliance across Wales.

• Recently, Swansea Council successfully brought a prosecution against Kismet Kebabs after lamb sold by the business was found not to match the meat content declared on the label. The investigation was supported by the FSA’s National Food Crime Unit (NFCU) and the Wales Consumer Protection Team, with additional samples used as evidence funded by the FSA in Wales team in 2021.

Our bilingual communications team in Wales has continued to strengthen the reach and impact of key FSA messages across Wales, including:

• Playing a key role in the migration of the FSA website to GOV.UK, ensuring that Wales-specific content and bilingual requirements are fully reflected. This has included auditing and reviewing Wales content, overseeing decisions on what to migrate or archive, and working closely with other teams across the FSA, and the Government Digital Service, through project governance and regular engagement. The Welsh Language team has led on the migration, quality assurance and compliance of Welsh-language content, while also highlighting risks and advocating for improvements to processes and platform functionality. Significant progress has been made, with the majority of content migrated and a planned go-live in place; however, the teams have continued to raise important risks around Welsh-language visibility, access and translation timelines to ensure the final service meets statutory obligations and user needs in Wales.

• Launching the FSA’s latest consumer campaign, Stop, Think, Serve, to encourage safer food hygiene behaviours during the warmer summer months. Launched in early June, the campaign will continue throughout the summer, with a particular focus on food hygiene at picnics and barbeques. In Wales, we are working closely with LA communications teams to extend reach through a bilingual toolkit and promotion across our social channels. We will also explore Wales-specific media opportunities and use key events, including the Eisteddfod, to engage directly with communities and bring the summer food safety messaging to life.

• Continuing to develop and roll out our misinformation and disinformation content, including a Welsh-language video raising awareness and understanding of Food Recalls, which was produced in-house. As we monitor and evaluate the first phase of this campaign in terms of engagement and performance, we are planning to take a more tailored approach to future content in Wales using opportunities such as Tafwyl, the Royal Welsh Show and the Eisteddfod to create more authentic bilingual content, with stronger Welsh representation and voices on issues that matter most to consumers in Wales.

4. Forward look

Much of the work outlined in this report will continue over the coming months. Alongside this, the team will maintain momentum on the following projects and workstreams, ensuring that Wales remains well positioned to influence, deliver and support key priorities.

Next week, joined by the Welsh Food Advisory Committee (WFAC) Chair, we will attend Y Farchnad at the Senedd. This marketplace-style event provides an opportunity for organisations such as the FSA to highlight our work and explain how we can support Members of the Senedd and their constituents with food safety matters and concerns. It will also be an important opportunity to introduce ourselves and our priorities to new and returning Senedd Members.

A face-to-face LA engagement event will be held in Llandrindod Wells in early July to update on all the workstreams within the Future of Food Regulation programme (including registration), and the latest on the SPS Agreement. We will also use this opportunity to update on various in-flight projects such as the LA data project and the Food Standards Delivery Model.

The FSA and WFAC Chairs will attend the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show this month, providing an important opportunity to strengthen engagement with Welsh Government Ministers and stakeholders across the food and farming sectors. The visit will help build relationships, raise awareness of the FSA’s role in Wales and support discussion on key priorities, including food safety, resilience and the proposed new Food Strategy for Wales. The Wales team is coordinating a targeted programme to ensure the engagement is meaningful, well aligned with current policy priorities and responsive to stakeholder interests.

We will consult on revised FSA guidance on reducing the risk of vulnerable groups contracting listeriosis, which applies to health and social care settings. The guidance has been updated in response to feedback from food businesses operating in these settings and LAs, with the aim of making it clearer and easier to follow.

Our continued work on food hypersensitivity will include supporting a planned national allergy strategy engagement event, subject to confirmation of ministerial arrangements.

The FSA Board will make its biannual visit to Wales on 16 September, holding a meeting at the Delta Marriott Hotel in Swansea. We are currently exploring visit options that will showcase Welsh food businesses and highlight the strength, diversity, and innovation of the Welsh food sector.

And finally, as referenced in my previous report, we look forward to attending this year’s National Eisteddfod, y Garreg Las in Pembrokeshire. This presents a valuable opportunity to engage directly with the public, with an interactive information stand staffed by colleagues volunteering from across the FSA.