New FSA Survey Shows Why Checking the Actual Food Label Matters Before Cooking

A new Food Standards Agency (FSA) surveillance report offers a practical reminder for anyone who buys ingredients online, shops at specialist retailers or cooks for someone with a food allergy: the physical label matters more than the product listing.

The FSA’s 2025/26 Retail Surveillance Survey examined 845 food products purchased across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Of those, 800 were assessed against food legislation, guidance or industry best practice, while 45 oat-based products were tested for research purposes.

Overall, 72% of the targeted surveillance samples were satisfactory for the checks carried out. That figure does not mean that 28% of all food on sale is unsafe: the survey targeted products and categories selected because they could provide useful intelligence, and individual samples do not represent every product in a batch. Still, the findings identify several points where a careful shopper can reduce avoidable risk.

What the FSA found

Allergen testing covered 205 samples, and 88% did not contain the specific undeclared allergens being tested for. However, undeclared peanut and sesame were found mainly in Dubai-style chocolates, while some South Asian bakery and snack products contained undeclared milk or egg proteins. The FSA also reported that all samples screened for gluten were satisfactory.

Authenticity checks found 81% of 285 samples satisfactory. The most notable problems involved goat meat: some samples sold as goat were identified as sheep, deer or a mixture of goat and sheep. Certain processed meats, coffee products, one cooking oil and one fish product also did not match their declared identity.

Composition checks were satisfactory for 91% of the relevant samples, while 90% of samples tested for contaminants were satisfactory. The report identified concerns in some Dubai-style chocolates, ashwagandha supplements and two raw tuna samples. It also found unauthorised or excessive additives in some slush drinks and green powdered supplements.

Labelling problems appeared across many food categories. In the Dubai-style chocolate sample, only one of 45 products met every test and labelling requirement assessed. Eighteen contained undeclared peanut or sesame, and several had issues involving allergen emphasis, durability information or other mandatory details. These were targeted samples, not a verdict on every product sold under a similar description.

Why online shoppers need a second check

The report found a difference between retail settings. Products bought from smaller food businesses had a 64% compliance rate for the assessments carried out, compared with 82% for products from larger food businesses. This does not make a shop or marketplace automatically unsafe, but it does make the label-checking step especially important.

Online purchasing created another problem: in 14 cases, precautionary allergen information was only visible after the product arrived. The listing did not provide the same information at the point of purchase. For people managing an allergy or intolerance, that gap can make it impossible to assess a product safely before ordering.

The FSA’s allergen labelling guidance explains why a full ingredients list and clearly emphasised allergens are important for food choices. The same principle applies when buying packaged ingredients for home cooking: do not rely on a product photograph, a short description or a marketplace summary when the full label is unavailable.

A four-step label check for home cooks

Check before buying. Look for the product name, complete ingredients list, allergen information, storage instructions and use-by or best-before details. If the listing does not show enough information, choose a product with a clear label or ask the seller for the manufacturer’s information.
Compare the delivered pack with the listing. Check that the brand, product name, ingredients and allergen information match what was advertised. Pay attention to replacement products, imported packaging and items bought through third-party marketplaces.
Treat uncertainty as a stop sign. If the label is missing, damaged, written in a language you cannot verify, or conflicts with the online description, do not use it for someone with a food allergy or intolerance. Do not try to make an unclear product safe by removing one visible ingredient.
Prepare with separation in mind. Once the ingredient is verified, keep its packaging available while cooking, wash hands and clean preparation surfaces before making an allergy-sensitive dish. Use separate utensils when needed and follow the product’s storage instructions.

For ordinary food shopping, the same check can reveal whether a product’s identity, origin or storage requirements match the claim that attracted you to it. If a food is labelled as goat, a particular fish species or a specific type of oil, the label should give enough information to understand what you are buying.

What this report does and does not say

The FSA’s findings are surveillance evidence, not a blanket recall. The agency selected products for targeted testing, and the report notes that a single item may not represent an entire batch or production run. A failed result may lead to follow-up action, but it should not be used to declare every product in a category unsafe.

For cooks, the useful takeaway is more measured: read the actual package, especially when a product is imported, sold online or marketed with a strong identity claim. If allergen information is incomplete or contradictory, choose an alternative with a complete and legible label. That small pause before opening the packet can prevent a much bigger problem in the kitchen.

The FSA also publishes practical advice on use-by dates and safe chilled storage, which are worth checking alongside the label before cooking.