The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has launched a consultation on new guidance for local authorities to tackle grey market goods.
Grey market goods are foods not intended for the UK market and can contain unauthorised or excessive additives and/or ingredients which do not meet requirements set out in UK food safety legislation.
They may also fail to identify allergens on labels.
The FSA said the new guidance would provide Trading Standards, Environmental Health officers and Port Health authorities with clearer tools to deal with non-compliant food.
The consultation sets out several questions regarding the current FSA guidance on grey market goods in the UK.
It asks whether the advice explains how food law can be used to act against these goods and if enforcement options - such as seizure, improvement notices or prosecution - are sufficient and proportionate.
The consultation runs until 24 October 2025, with a summary of responses due within three months of closing.
It comes after the FSA raised concerns over imported Dubai-style chocolate, warning of potential allergens and risks, as some products “may not have clear or reliable labels”.
Dubai-style products have been a sweet success for c-stores, but worryingly this summer has seen the FSA issue a number of allergy alerts from mislabelled goods.
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