FSA launches a new food fraud hotline

Food Standards Agency (FSA) has launched a new freephone number for people to report suspected cases of food fraud

The new number for Food Crime Confidential hotline is 0800 028 11 80.

The new number will hopefully make it easier for people to speak up and share their concerns about  all types of food-related crime, from theft and unlawful processing to food adulteration, substitution and misrepresentation.

The launch of the freephone number is part of wider plans for the government to crack down on the crime, which reportedly costs the economy up to £2 billion every year.

This estimate is produced as part of 'The Cost of Food Crime' research that captures the full range of impacts that food crime has on UK consumers, businesses and regulators alike.

A second FSA report - 'What works to prevent food fraud' - highlights ways to complement the FSA's existing food fraud prevention work and strengthen lines of defence against fraudsters. Proposals include:

• working with industry on ways to encourage food fraud whistleblowing
• strengthening information sharing arrangements between the third-party auditors used by food businesses, and the FSA, to help prevent criminal activity
• improving how the FSA issues intelligence-based alerts to better warn food businesses about potential food fraud in supply chains

Read the full FSA's stakeholder message to see the details of these proposals.

First published 11 October 2023