Food Safety Under Scrutiny: UK & Ireland Face Rising Incidents
Food safety standards are under increasing pressure across the UK and Ireland, with regulatory bodies reporting a surge in incidents and enforcement actions. This renewed focus from authorities like the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in the UK and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) highlights persistent challenges in maintaining robust food hygiene and safety protocols. Businesses are being urged to review their compliance and enhance their procedures to safeguard public health.
Irish Food Safety Enforcement Orders See Significant Rise
In Ireland, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) reported a substantial 45% increase in Enforcement Orders issued to food businesses in 2024, with a total of 133 orders compared to 92 in 2023. This surge included 115 Closure Orders, 16 Prohibition Orders, and 2 Improvement Orders, issued by Environmental Health Officers and other authorised personnel. Common issues leading to these enforcement actions included inadequate pest control, insufficient cleaning, failure to maintain correct food temperatures, unsuitable food storage, and a lack of proper staff training in food safety and hygiene. Dr. Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive of the FSAI, described the increase as "unacceptable," emphasising that Enforcement Orders are only issued when a serious risk to consumer health is identified or when persistent breaches of food legislation pose significant hygiene or operational issues.
Consumer complaints to the FSAI's Advice Line also saw a notable increase, with 4,996 complaints in 2024, a 13.7% rise from 2023. The most frequent issue reported was "unfit food," accounting for 32% of all complaints, often involving contamination with foreign objects such as plastic, insects, hair, glass, metal, and stones. Suspected food poisoning cases were the second most reported complaint, making up 29% of the total in 2024, a noticeable increase from 23.3% in 2023.
The FSAI's 2024 annual report also revealed a rise in food incidents, recalls, and enforcement actions, with 796 incidents dealt with by the food incidents team, up from 733 in 2023. Nearly 500 of these were categorised as serious. This follows an extensive outbreak of listeriosis in 2025 that led to one adult death and the voluntary precautionary recall of 141 ready-made products sold in major retailers.
UK Strengthens Food Safety Directives and COSHH Enforcement
In the UK, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has recently reinforced its guidance on food safety for businesses, aiming to minimise foodborne illnesses and allergic reactions. This renewed focus addresses persistent food safety incidents and places particular emphasis on allergen management, traceability, and comprehensive hygiene protocols. The HSE stresses the importance of preventing cross-contamination at every stage of food preparation and service, including meticulous cleaning procedures, dedicated equipment where necessary, and thorough staff training on allergen awareness.
Beyond food hygiene, the HSE is also intensifying its focus on Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) regulations within the food sector. The food and drink manufacturing sector has historically shown a higher rate of occupational asthma, often linked to flour dust exposure. From January 2026, the HSE is carrying out a series of inspections at large bakeries across Great Britain to ensure employers are properly protecting workers from the dangers of dusty ingredients. Inspectors will assess compliance with COSHH regulations, focusing on the hierarchy of controls, including eliminating dusty processes, substituting hazardous ingredients, implementing engineering controls like local exhaust ventilation, and providing respiratory protective equipment as a last resort.
Related training: If you are looking to qualify as a trainer in this area, see fire safety instructor training or explore manual handling trainer courses for nationally recognised UK and Ireland qualifications.
The HSE has also highlighted a discernible increase in enforcement actions and prosecutions related to COSHH breaches during the 2023/2024 reporting period. This underscores persistent challenges in managing chemical risks in food environments, with cleaning agents, disinfectants, pest control chemicals, and even naturally occurring substances posing significant health risks if not properly managed. Non-compliance with COSHH can lead to severe penalties, including substantial fines and imprisonment.
RIDDOR Reporting Under Review
The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) in the UK are also undergoing a significant shake-up. The HSE has opened a public consultation to update RIDDOR 2013, with proposals representing substantial changes to employers' duties. Key reforms include making more incidents and diseases reportable, and broadening who can formally diagnose a reportable occupational disease beyond doctors to include a wider range of occupational health professionals. The consultation, which runs until June 30th, 2026, aims to clarify definitions, reflect modern workplace risks, and streamline the reporting process.
The HSE emphasizes that RIDDOR reporting is central to identifying emerging risks, targeting regulatory activity, and contributing to the evidence base for workplace health and safety. The latest provisional statistics for 2024/25 show 124 worker fatalities reported under RIDDOR, a decrease from 138 in 2023/24. However, 59,219 non-fatal injuries to employees were reported, with slips, trips, and falls on the same level (30%) and manual handling (17%) being the most common causes. Failure to report a RIDDOR-qualifying incident is a criminal offence, carrying potential unlimited fines and up to two years' imprisonment.
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