The UK’s Food Standards Agency is considering plans to reduce the type and frequency of inspections in a bid to target the worst offenders.

The food safety body is considering implementing “earned recognition”, where regulators recognise “sustained compliance” from businesses and reduce inspections.

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The move, the FSA says, will allow inspectors from local authorities to focus resources on high-risk, non-compliant businesses. It will also use data from third-party assurance schemes in lieu of official inspections, as they often reproduce official controls, doubling the burden of inspection on a company.

It already uses this approach in primary production and the dairy sector and wishes to extend it to suppliers and supermarkets.

An FSA spokesperson said the agency has commissioned research with consumers to find out their views on the proposed changes and expects to publish it soon.

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The next step, it says, will be to pilot a number of schemes with local authorities.

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The proposals have been welcomed by the Food and Drink Federation (FDF), which represents manufacturers. Director of food safety and science Barbara Gallani said: “Regulation is important in the food and drink industry to ensure food safety and standards.  FDF will continue to champion proportionate effective regulation to support these ends but more must be done to raise standards in order to deliver consistent and targeted enforcement to the areas of greatest risk. 

“Food and drink businesses will fully support a regulatory and enforcement regime on this basis, and that ensures a level playing field and recognition for those responsible businesses that do invest in compliance with tough sanctions against non-compliant businesses.

“We believe there is a real opportunity to reduce the burden of regulation in the food and drink sector through more effective enforcement.”