Ep. 214. Chris McGarvey: UK/EU Food Regulatory Changes on the Horizon
Food Safety Matters
EU Input-Based vs US Output-Based Regulation
Chris compares EU prescriptive controls with US output-focused approaches and their trade-offs for industry.
Chris McGarvey is the Director of the Regulatory and Compliance Team for Walker Morris LLP in the UK. He has more than 25 years of experience working in both the private and public sector, and has a track record of helping clients navigate complex legal challenges in areas of highly regulated economic activity. Chris specializes in food law and led the Food Standards Agency's (FSA's) Legal Team through Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, and supply chain challenges associated with the Ukraine conflict. Chris' typical clients are Directors, Senior Managers, and specialists, particularly food scientists, who demand quick, accessible, and accurate advice. His work often has national reach and spans all four nations of the UK.
In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Chris [26:40] about:
- Impending regulatory changes in the UK and EU that will have immediate impacts for food business operations, and what companies should be doing to prepare
- The legal, ethical, and compliance challenges posed by the increasing regulatory attention being paid to emerging food innovations like precision fermentation and cannabidiol (CBD) products, and the potential influence of consumer perceptions on regulatory outcomes
- How Brexit can serve as a case study for food businesses navigating significant regulatory changes
- The legal and financial implications for food exporters related to ongoing UK–EU food trade negotiations
- Benefits, drawbacks, and realities of the EU's prescriptive, stringent approach to regulating food substances versus the U.S.'s current deregulatory, voluntary approach
- Possible consumer health and legal outcomes that could emerge if countries choose to adopt Codex-aligned, risk-based precautionary allergen labeling (PAL) requirements
- Advice for companies to go beyond minimum compliance with traceability and recall regulatory requirements, including the role that technology can play in achieving this goal.
News and Resources
News
Larry Keener to be Honored with Food Safety Magazine's 2026 Distinguished Service Award [7:16]
RFK Jr. Says Federal Ultra-Processed Foods Definition is Coming in April [8:49]
FDA Releases Initial Findings from Foodborne Pathogen Study in California Growing Region [15:09]
EU Considers Adoption of Harmonized Precautionary Allergen Labeling Rules [20:27]
UK-EU Trade Agreement Would Harmonize Certain Food Safety Rules by Mid-2027 [21:33]
EU Launches AI Traceability Platform to Strengthen Detection of Food Fraud, Safety Risks [22:45]
Resources
"2026 Trends in the EU/UK Food Law Space" by Chris McGarvey
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