Food Safety insights for 2026: Emerging risks, regulatory pressures and the critical role of training

Chefs preparing food in professional kitchen

As we move further into 2026, the landscape of food safety is shifting. Our recent CIEH Policy Pulse survey provides valuable insights into the concerns, trends and future risks seen by Environmental Health Professionals across the UK.

Whether you’re running a food business, managing compliance or working within the sector, these findings highlight an important message - effective training and up-to-date knowledge are not optional, they are essential to protecting your business and customers.

The survey reflects views from professionals working largely across Local Government and the private sector (94% of whom are CIEH members), offering a clear picture of the compliance landscape businesses are likely to face in the coming years.

1. Regulation and compliance are evolving (fast)

A key finding from the survey was that 80% of respondents support a new system (entailing either a license or a permit) that would require food business owners to submit certain documents before opening. This is a significant shift away from the current registration system, which many professionals feel does not adequately reduce risk. There are no plans for any immediate changes that have been confirmed, but the current system of registration isn’t working in our modern age where food is swiftly ordered via an app rather than bought in person on the high street.

For businesses, this means:

Understanding potential changes to regulatory frameworks
Preparing documentation correctly and confidently
Demonstrating compliance from day one
Ensuring food safety processes are robust and inspection-ready.

What this means for skills and knowledge

With expectations evolving, it’s increasingly important that those handling food understand food safety principles and apply them reliably. When teams understand the purpose behind controls and follow them correctly, it strengthens consistency, reduces errors and helps businesses evidence good practice during inspections.

2. Online marketplaces and social media present new challenges

The digital marketplace continues to grow, but so do the risks. An overwhelming 92% of respondents felt that increased sales of food items through social media and online marketplaces pose a risk, especially for consumers with food allergies or sensitivities.

For businesses selling online, this raises important considerations:

Are allergen details clearly and accurately communicated?
Are product descriptions compliant with labelling requirements?
Do you have systems in place to prevent cross-contamination?
Can you demonstrate traceability if challenged?

We want people to stay safe online. Clicking with confidence is a CIEH campaign to ensure that people with allergies can make informed, confident decisions when shopping online. There is clear guidance out there to ensure people can identify safe products and avoid unnecessary risks.

What this means for skills and knowledge

Food businesses must ensure that online product listings meet the same high safety and allergen standard as in-store sales. If you’re looking to strengthen capability, our food safety and allergen awareness courses can help you build the knowledge needed to manage this confidently.

3. Risks from imports and border controls remain a concern

Less than 15% of respondents expressed confidence in current operational border controls to prevent foods that pose a risk from entering the wider UK market. Staffing capacity and process vulnerabilities increasing the opportunities for fraud were the most common concerns given.

When looking ahead to emerging risks, professionals highlighted:

Poor labelling; overprocessed foods and additives; novel foods/Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs); chemical residues in import.
Illegal substitution, false origins, misdescription, and undeclared allergens (especially in cheaper imports).
Risks of importing diseases and need for strong biosecurity.
Pressure from countries with lower food safety or welfare standards and how these might undermine domestic norms.

4. Technology & AI

Environmental Health Professionals shared mixed views on the role of AI in the future. While many recognised its potential to improve productivity, there was also clear recognition that technology cannot replace on-site inspections or contextual judgement.

One respondent commented:

“I am concerned that food business operators may use AI as a replacement for appropriate training, knowledge and understanding. We have already had some FBOs falsifying traceability records”.

This highlights an important point for businesses: digital tools cannot replace competence. Training is an ongoing requirement, ensuring that staff understand the reasoning behind processes, can apply them correctly in real-life situations, and can confidently demonstrate due diligence when required.

Why training matters for food businesses in 2026

The direction is clear: increased accountability, evolving risks and rising expectations.

Businesses that succeed in this environment are and will be those that:

Invest in regularly and properly trained staff
Maintain strong, well-documented food safety processes
Stay compliant with regulatory requirements
Stay informed about regulatory trends
Treat food safety as a strategic priority - not a tickbox exercise.
Build team competence and confidence

Whether you’re an owner, manager, supervisor or food handler, ongoing training gives you the skills to protect consumers, meet compliance, and confidently grow your operation.

Protect your business with food safety training

Explore our online food safety courses today or contact us to discuss tailored training for your team. Whether you're looking to upskill individually or train your workforce, we’re here to help.