Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to review labelling requirements for vitamin D supplements to ensure clearer communication of dosage strength.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Food supplements, including vitamin D supplements, are regulated in the United Kingdom under the Food Supplements (England) Regulations 2003, as well as other applicable food law, along with equivalent legislation for Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The Department is responsible for this legislation in England, working closely with the Food Standards Agency and local authorities, who lead on enforcement. Further information on the Food Supplements (England) Regulations 2003 is avaiable at the following link:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2003/1387/made/data.pdf
The regulations have specific labelling requirements to support consumers to make informed choices. Food supplements legislation requires manufacturers to include the recommended dose and a warning not to exceed the stated dose on the label. The Department has published guidance to businesses on complying with the regulations, which is avaiable at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/food-supplements-guidance-and-faqs
Although food supplements legislation does not set statutory maximum levels for vitamins and minerals, industry is encouraged to follow voluntary guidelines for safe upper levels, which for vitamin D is 100 micrograms, or 4,000 International Units, daily. The Department does not currently have plans to review labelling requirements for vitamin D or other supplements.
The National Health Service website provides clear public advice on the daily recommended intake for vitamin D and warns of the potential harmful effects of taking too much vitamin D through food supplements. Further information is avaiable on the NHS website, at the following link:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-d/
The Department always advises consumers to follow NHS guidance and consult a health professional if in doubt. The Department does not systematically collect data for people with health issues owing to excess vitamin D consumption.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Hayman of Ullock on 15 September (HL10372), what estimate they have made of the (1) initial, and (2) ongoing, costs of complying with the phase three food labelling requirements under the Windsor Framework.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government considered the practical and cost impacts of Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme Phase Three labelling requirements through detailed conversations with industry. However, based on previous experience showing the difficulty of accurately estimating labelling costs due to variability in business practices, we did not seek to quantify Phase Three cost estimates prior to it commencing. The data in the Impact Assessment on the costs of GB-Wide ‘Not for EU’ labelling published alongside the Marking of Retail Goods Regulations provides some context, however.
Businesses have already successfully carried out Phase Three, and we continue to monitor the market and work closely with industry across the United Kingdom to implement the Windsor Framework.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Hayman of Ullock on 15 September (HL10371), what estimate they have made of the (1) initial, and (2) ongoing, costs of complying with the phase three food labelling requirements under the Windsor Framework.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government considered the practical and cost impacts of Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme Phase Three labelling requirements through detailed conversations with industry. However, based on previous experience showing the difficulty of accurately estimating labelling costs due to variability in business practices, we did not seek to quantify Phase Three cost estimates prior to it commencing. The data in the Impact Assessment on the costs of GB-Wide ‘Not for EU’ labelling published alongside the Marking of Retail Goods Regulations provides some context, however.
Businesses have already successfully carried out Phase Three, and we continue to monitor the market and work closely with industry across the United Kingdom to implement the Windsor Framework.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of implementing a grading system for food labelling that rates the animal welfare standards in the food’s production.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As set out in the animal welfare strategy, the Government committed to ensuring that consumers have access to clear information on how their food was produced. To support this, the Government will continue working with relevant stakeholders, including the farming and food industry, scientists and NGOs to explore how improved animal welfare food labelling could provide greater consumer transparency, support farmers and promote better animal welfare.
Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have considered permitting the term probiotic to be used in mandatory food labelling.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Under existing legislation, the Department considers the term ‘probiotic’ to constitute a health claim as it implies that consuming a food or food supplement containing these bacteria may provide a health benefit. Health claims may only be used if they have been scientifically substantiated and authorised in accordance with nutrition and health claims legislation.
There is an established process for authorising health claims, which requires industry to submit detailed scientific evidence for assessment. Since the exit of the European Union, the Department has not received any applications for new health claims relating to probiotics or specific bacterial strains. As no claims are authorised, ‘probiotics’ should not be used as a claim on food labels.
The term ‘probiotic’ could only be used on food labels if a specific authorised health claim existed for the particular strain of live bacteria used. The authorisation process remains available to industry, and any future applications would be considered in line with the requirements to ensure that health claims used on food are accurate, evidence‑based, and not misleading for consumers.
Asked by: Juliet Campbell (Labour - Broxtowe)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help ensure that food products imported into the UK are labelled correctly with regards to animal welfare practices.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK maintains high standards on the information that is provided on food labels so that consumers can have confidence in the food that they buy. All food sold on the UK market, whether produced domestically or imported, must comply with food labelling rules, which include the requirement for specific information to be presented in a specific way.
As set out in the Government’s animal welfare strategy, we are committed to ensuring that consumers have access to clear information on how their food was produced. To support this, we will continue working with relevant stakeholders, including the farming and food industry, scientists and NGOs to explore how improved animal welfare food labelling could provide greater consumer transparency, support farmers and promote better animal welfare.
Asked by: Phil Brickell (Labour - Bolton West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment has been made of reforms to food labelling to reflect production method.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government's animal welfare strategy was published on 22 December 2025 and is available here on GOV.UK.
As set out in the strategy, we are committed to ensuring that consumers have access to clear information on how their food was produced. To support this, we will continue working with relevant stakeholders, including the farming and food industry, scientists and NGOs to explore how improved animal welfare food labelling could provide greater consumer transparency, support farmers and promote better animal welfare.
Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has considered the potential merits of introducing mandatory labelling of meat products to indicate the method of slaughter.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 17 December 2025 to PQ UIN 99375.
Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to improve transparency in (a) method-of-production welfare labelling and (b) country of origin labelling.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government's animal welfare strategy was published on 22 December 2025 and is available here on GOV.UK.
As set out in the strategy, we are committed to ensuring that consumers have access to clear information on how their food was produced. To support this, we will continue working with relevant stakeholders, including the farming and food industry, scientists and NGOs to explore how improved animal welfare food labelling could provide greater consumer transparency, support farmers and promote better animal welfare.
We are also committed to working with stakeholders in ongoing discussions about further improving transparency and consumer trust in country-of-origin labelling.
Asked by: Vikki Slade (Liberal Democrat - Mid Dorset and North Poole)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will introduce mandatory animal welfare labelling on supermarket products in the forthcoming animal welfare strategy.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government's animal welfare strategy was published on 22 December 2025 and is available here on GOV.UK.
As set out in the strategy, we are committed to ensuring that consumers have access to clear information on how their food was produced. To support this, we will continue working with relevant stakeholders, including the farming and food industry, scientists and NGOs to explore how improved animal welfare food labelling could provide greater consumer transparency, support farmers and promote better animal welfare.