There is an “urgent need to future-proof the UK food system” warned the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH), after revelations that food on TikTok Shop had been sold without the legally required allergen warnings.
An investigation by the BBC discovered multiple listings of snacks and sweets that failed to highlight they contained one of the 14 allergens that UK businesses must declare.
While the TikTok Shop listings uncovered by the BBC have now been deleted, the CIEH said “it is currently still possible to sell food on TikTok Shop without providing any ingredient or allergy information”.
Future-proof frameworks
The institute is calling on the government to “future-proof the UK’s food safety and integrity framework, ensuring it remains robust and adaptable”. The update should include introducing a ‘permit to trade’ for all registered food businesses.
This would require food premises to be awarded a licence or permit from their local authority – based on them meeting minimum standards around safety – before they are legally allowed to commence trading.
Food being purchased over social media “is a trend that is only likely to increase” the CIEH said, making a regulatory response all the more urgent.
“We know food businesses not being open and clear about which allergens are in the food they are selling can lead to devastating and tragic consequences for consumers,” said Mark Elliott, president of CIEH.
On social media “adherence to UK food safety legislation may not be as robust as it should be” and legislation “needs to keep up with the ever-changing landscape of food businesses and sellers” he added.
“It is therefore critical that these emerging issues within the UK food system are tackled sooner rather than later to ensure it is future-proofed to protect consumers and ensure no corners are cut by these new types of food businesses,” Elliott said.
Allergy sufferers
A 2024 study by the FSA estimated around 6% of the UK adult population have a clinically confirmed food allergy. This equates to around 2.4 million adults in the UK.
Food allergies are of particular concern in young children. Incidences of food allergies in toddlers is estimated to be 5%-8%. Around 10 people die from allergic reactions to food every year in the UK, with hospital admissions for allergic reactions rising by 161.3% over the past 20 years.
“We have seen many high-profile cases of where wrong food allergen labelling or practice in food businesses has led to loss of life, showing just how critical it is that this information is provided and is accurate,” the CIEH said.
TikTok said the social media and e-commerce platform was “committed to providing a safe and trustworthy shopping experience”. It continually reviewed the strict measures for food sellers using TikTok Shop, it said.
“We have policies and processes in place with our sellers to ensure the safety of food and beverages sold on our platform and we will remove products that breach these policies,” a spokesman told The Grocer.
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