The United Kingdom’s Food Standards Agency has opened a public consultation on a proposal to prohibit bisphenol A and related bisphenols in food contact materials. The move signals a major regulatory shift for packaging suppliers and aims to bring Great Britain’s rules in line with those already in force in the European Union and Northern Ireland.
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EU Rule Sets the Pace
In December 2024 the European Union issued Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/3190, restricting BPA, its salts, other hazardous bisphenols and hazardous bisphenol derivatives in a wide range of food contact materials. These include epoxy coatings inside metal food and drink cans and durable plastics used in reusable bottles.
The rule took effect in January 2025 and provides an 18-month transition period for most products. Under the Windsor Framework the ban applies in Northern Ireland but not in England, Scotland or Wales.
UK Proposal Mirrors EU Approach
To maintain a high level of health protection and support businesses that trade across both UK and EU markets, the FSA launched a 12-week consultation on October 2, 2025. The agency proposes to prohibit BPA and its analogues in food contact materials and to align transitional periods and end dates with the EU timeline.
The FSA notes that some transition dates may have already expired by the time the UK rule is implemented. Even so, most businesses are expected to be prepared because many have already reformulated their products to comply with EU and Northern Ireland requirements.
Goals of the Transitional Measures
According to the FSA, the transition plan is designed to:
- Create market consistency: Suppliers operating in Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the EU would not need to manage separate compliance strategies.
- Support circular economy priorities: Companies could avoid scrapping stock that becomes noncompliant in the EU and Northern Ireland but remains usable in Great Britain.
- Cut administrative and financial pressure: A single approach would help prevent duplicate testing and documentation for identical or similar food contact articles.
The consultation will remain open until December 24, 2025.
What This Means for Packaging Stakeholders
A unified BPA policy across the UK and EU would make planning easier for domestic and international suppliers. It would also set a higher bar for proving material safety, since regulators are expected to increase scrutiny of migration tests, documentation and manufacturing controls as they work to lower risk in food contact applications.
Conclusion
FSA’s proposal tightens chemical controls in food contact materials across Great Britain. For packaging producers and brands, early preparation and strong compliance programs will be essential. With the EU rule already in force and UK alignment on the horizon, the industry now faces a key moment to upgrade materials, testing programs and documentation to remain competitive and compliant.
