Why Food Safety Alerts Nearly Doubled in 2025 Link to heading
A Government Change Catalysed Better Reporting, Not Riskier Food Link to heading
Number of alerts issued by quarter Link to heading
As the Labour Government take over running the UK, it’s interesting to take a quick dive into the FSA data to see if anything is different
Comparing the equivalent time period for the previous Conservative Government and Labour:
- Conservatives: Q3–Q4 2022, Q1–Q2 2024
- Labour: Q3–Q4 2024, Q1–Q2 2025
We compare a total of 166 alerts by the Conservative led FSA and 643 alerts by the Labour led FSA. It should be noted that in Q4 2024, a single mustard‑based allergy contamination event triggered 397 alerts, significantly skewing the total under Labour that year. Adjusting out an exceptional event : 397 alerts issued for the great mustard contamination, gives us 246 Labour led Food Safety Alerts. This represents a 48% increase in alerts issued by the Labour Government led FSA Vs the Conservative led FSA.
Note Q4-2024 was the great mustard contamination event, hundreds of products were recalled as the mustard ingredient was reported by the importer to be contaminated with peanut.
Comparing alerts by contaminant and governing political party. Link to heading
| Pathogen | Allergen |
|---|---|
 |  |
| Foreign Material | Allergen |
 |  |
🏛️ 1. Shift in Regulatory Emphasis & Transparency Link to heading
When Labour took office in late 2024, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) signalled a clearer commitment to robust oversight. The FSA’s 2023-24 Annual Report and Accounts mentions an increase in alerts-driven by a sharper risk-analysis approach and improved responsiveness. Under Labour, that tone may have sharpened further, with the FSA now pushing manufacturers harder to report even minor issues.
📜 2. Changes to the Food Law Code of Practice Link to heading
The FSA launched a consultation in early 2025 proposing a new, risk-based model for inspections and official controls. This stronger, more transparent framework likely nudged manufacturers to report more proactively, knowing regulators had better tools to catch anything they didn’t.
🔧 3. Systemic Transparency and Internal Reform Link to heading
Chief Executive Katie Pettifer highlighted a move toward proportionate, risk-based frameworks in the Annual Report. This wasn’t just talk, it’s tied to real-world changes at FSA board level and cultural reforms pushing for greater transparency and fewer hidden alerts, a likely contributor to the 2025 spike.
📊 4. Increased Inspection & Sampling Link to heading
The 2024/25 FSA Incident Report noted a 55% increase in allergy alerts, partly due to more aggressive sampling and investigation of imported goods. With Labour’s renewed emphasis on public safety and potentially additional resourcing, this enhanced activity seems to have resulted in more notifications-whether or not actual contamination rates rose.
💬 5. Advice and Messaging to Industry Link to heading
On 7 June 2025, the FSA launched a new kitchen-safety campaign, backed by Deputy Director Michelle Patel, stressing how consumer safety starts with proper reporting and safe practices in the kitchen. That messaging likely rippled through the supply chain, encouraging manufacturers and food businesses to self-report more consistently.
👀 Final Take Link to heading
The sudden 48% increase in food safety alerts in 2025 likely isn’t evidence that our food became significantly more dangerous under Labour. Instead, it points to a regulatory reboot, one driven by increased transparency, tougher enforcement, and new inspection frameworks.
The message was clear: under-reporting wouldn’t be tolerated any more. And unless there was a matching rise in contamination rates, it suggests that Labour’s arrival didn’t make food riskier-it only made it clearer.