⚠️ ALREADY IN FORCE: HFSS Online Ad Ban (since 5 January 2026)
Paid ads for crisps, chocolate, biscuits, and fizzy drinks are NOW ILLEGAL online. If you're a food retailer running Facebook or Instagram campaigns — this applies to you. ASA and Ofcom are actively enforcing.
HMRC, ICO, Trading Standards, CMA, HSE, the Food Standards Agency, the Environment Agency — retail is one of the most heavily regulated sectors in the UK. And compliance changes fast.
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From April 7, the Fair Work Agency takes over NMW enforcement with new 200% penalty surcharge. For every £1 of NLW underpayment, the fine is £3. 400 employers named this month for £7.3m. FWA also enforces SSP and holiday pay from day one.
Check your pay compliance →Retailers must submit plastic and paper bag supply data (for bags sold in H2 2025) by April 1. This is separate from EPR packaging labelling. EA and DEFRA joint enforcement. Almost zero SME awareness.
Check your bag reporting obligation →Online restrictions on HFSS food advertising in high-visibility website areas (homepage, category pages, checkout) are in force. If you're a food retailer running Facebook or Instagram campaigns for crisps, chocolate, or fizzy drinks — this applies to you now.
Review your ad campaigns →CMA updated green claims guidance January 22, 2026. If you sell eco, sustainable, natural or green products, you need documented supply chain evidence — supplier assurances are not enough. Fines up to 10% of global turnover, no court order needed.
Check your product claims →HMRC automatic enforcement. Update payroll now. Every worker on minimum wage must be on £12.71 from April 1 — no grace period. Part-time and zero-hours staff included.
Check your payroll →"Recycle" or "Do Not Recycle" label required on all new packaging. Obligated producers (those placing >50 tonnes of packaging per year) must be registered with the scheme. EA enforcement from day one.
Check EPR obligations →The 3-day waiting period for Statutory Sick Pay is abolished from April 6 (ERA 2025). Every employee, including part-time and zero-hours staff, is eligible from their first day of sickness absence. Most retail employers are still operating under old policy.
Update your sick pay policy →Failure to consult on collective redundancy now carries a protective award of up to 180 days' pay per employee (doubled from 90 days). Any retail employer planning store closures or restructuring after April 6 faces doubled exposure.
Review your redundancy obligations →Documented data protection complaints procedure becomes mandatory for all data controllers. Every retailer with an email list, loyalty scheme, or CCTV must have a formal, written complaints process.
Prepare your complaints procedure →Single-click cancellation and cooling-off periods become mandatory for subscription services. Affects any retailer with loyalty schemes, box schemes, or product subscriptions. CMA enforces directly.
Review your subscription terms →UK retail is watched by 8 regulators. These are the gaps catching shops off guard right now.
ICO requires a privacy notice in clear view of cameras, a documented retention policy (usually 30 days max), and a lawful basis for processing. Most small retailers have none of these. ICO enforcement against small retailers has increased 40% since 2023.
UK PECR requires explicit consent for marketing emails — not just a pre-ticked opt-in box. Default ecommerce templates frequently fail this test. If your customers didn't actively opt in with a clear choice, your email list may be illegal.
Allergen labelling under Natasha's Law applies to all pre-packaged for direct sale (PPDS) food — sandwiches, salads, baked goods made and wrapped on site. Every ingredient and allergen must be listed on the label. FSA prosecutions are rising.
Any loyalty scheme that collects customer purchase data must have a documented privacy notice explaining what data is collected, how it's used, and how long it's kept. ICO opened formal investigations into 3 major loyalty schemes in 2025.
We monitor official sources from all 8 primary retail regulators daily — so you don't have to check 8 different websites.
Whether you run a high street shop, food deli, or online store — you face the same regulators. We keep you ahead of all of them.
HMRC · ICO · Trading Standards · HSE
FSA · ICO · HMRC · HSE · ASA/Ofcom
CMA · ICO · Trading Standards · Environment Agency
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