Tabletop Trends: The BPA ban: comment and advice from FEA
The BPA ban: comment and advice from FEA
Distributors need to give their suppliers time to make necessary changes to production
The foodservice industry needs to begin preparing for the ban of BPAs (Bisphenols) from materials intended to come into contact with food. The ban was recently announced by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), following a consultation process, and it’s expected that it will also be enforced by Food Standards Scotland (FSS). The ban will cover food contact materials, which the FSA defines as materials and articles that come into contact with food during production, processing, storage, preparation or serving.
It will directly affect a huge range of products used in the foodservice industry, such as utensils, chopping boards, storage containers, drinking vessels, tableware and kitchenware, as well as food transport equipment and packaging materials.
BPA is a chemical used in the manufacture of some hard plastics and has been linked with hormone changes in humans in certain cases. The ban will mean it will be phased out in the next two years.
Once the ban is fully implemented, any products intended to come into contact with food or drink, including any products that could be reasonably expected to come into contact with them, will be prohibited from sale in the UK. It is expected that existing pre-sold stock will remain in circulation and not be subject to recall, however, FEA is working to confirm this definitively.
The BPA ban timetable
The FSA is proposing to match the EU’s dates of transition, which means that the ban of BPA products in the UK will be undertaken in phases. The proposed timeline is:
- single use products will be banned from 20th July 2026
- repeat use food contact materials will be banned from 20th July 2027
- repeat use food contact materials for professional food preparation equipment will be banned from January 2028.
FEA is working to confirm the definition of ‘professional food preparation’ in the context of the ban. It should not, at this stage, be assumed that this covers commercial foodservice equipment.
As it currently stands there is no draft legislation relating to the UK law. FEA will continue to engage and lobby the FSA and relevant government representatives to seek this and will work to ensure the industry stays informed. As this legislation will need to go through due process, it could impact the timelines as to whether the UK aligns fully with the EU legislation.
For now, FEA recommends suppliers look at how to source BPA-free products to replace any critical equipment. They should pay specific attention to regulations surrounding PFAS alongside the BPA ban, in particular, whether any alternatives are compatible with proposed EU/UK PFAS regulations, to avoid further changes to supply chains in the future.
Luke Slater, FEA’s Technical & Policy Director, advises, “I’d encourage distributors and wholesalers to approach this topic strategically. It is understandable to enforce strict deadlines for manufacturers to provide Declarations of Conformity or interim statements of impacted products. However, sufficient time must be given for manufacturers to research hidden BPA, ask the right questions to the supply chain and seek the necessary changes to production processes. July 2026 is not very far away, but this deadline is for the EU and refers to single use products. The widest impact for our industry will be when the July 2027 ban on reusable plastics is brought in by the EU, and we really need to see draft legislation presented for the UK market.”
Got a question about the BPA ban? #FEAuk or email enquiries@fea.org.uk
