Food Standards: What’s next for local authorities?

With Idox customers now live on the new food standards model, attention turns to reporting. Here’s how we’re continuing to support local authorities through the next phase of regulatory change.

Earlier this year, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) formally enforced its updated food standards model — the biggest shift in inspection methodology for local authorities in years. For Environmental Health teams, the focus has now moved from preparation to optimisation: making sure systems are working effectively, inspections are being carried out smoothly, and reporting is ready for what comes next.

At Idox, we’ve been involved from the very beginning — working hand-in-hand with the FSA and our customers to make sure our software solutions support the reality of day-to-day Environmental Health work. And with Uniform and Idox Cloud customers now live on the updated model, we’re helping teams focus on what matters most: performance, efficiency and readiness for the next reporting deadline.

Built for compliance, designed for practitioners
The new model prioritises risk-based inspections and smarter targeting of enforcement activity. That meant our customers needed tools to match — and fast.
Working closely with the FSA and local authorities across the UK, we delivered product updates that:

• Embed the new risk rating framework into your workflows
• Support retrospective scoring updates and compliance checks
• Ensure each inspection aligns with the new requirements
• Keep the entire process digital, traceable and easy to manage

“This change was never just about ticking a box — it was about giving Environmental Health and Trading Standards professionals the tools to do their jobs more effectively,” says Lindsay Pearson-Smith, Senior Product Manager at Idox.

“By building the new model directly into our solutions — and collaborating with the FSA throughout — we’ve created something that’s practical, reliable and aligned to the way our customers work.”

Looking ahead to Food Standards Returns 2026
The next major milestone is the Food Standards Returns submission. This national dataset is used by the FSA to understand local enforcement activity, and it’s a critical part of demonstrating your service’s compliance and performance.

We’re already working with the FSA to define the updated reporting requirements and will build the necessary functionality into our software — so you’ll be ready, with everything in one place.

Supporting you beyond implementation
Our role doesn’t stop at delivery. Whether it’s ongoing optimisation, adapting to future policy changes or ensuring reporting remains simple, we’re committed to supporting Public Protection teams with effective digital tools.

To find out more about how Idox’s solutions will improve your food business inspections, get in touch with the team to discuss your requirements.