FSA Revises Herb & Spice Import Guidance: New BCP and High-Risk Product Links by August 2026

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is preparing an update to its guidance for importing herbs and spices from 'third countries' – non-EU nations – into England and Wales. The scheduled revision, dated 28 August 2026, focuses on providing clearer navigation to essential information regarding Border Control Posts (BCPs) and the classification of 'higher-risk' food products not of animal origin. This signals an impending consolidation of regulatory pathways that supplement manufacturers sourcing botanicals from outside the European Union must meticulously track.

The current guidance, originally published on 2 February 2018, serves as the primary reference point for businesses. The upcoming update indicates a strategic effort by the FSA to streamline access to information critical for import compliance. Specifically, the fixed links will direct users to comprehensive details on BCP operations, detailed lists of high-risk food categories, and the corresponding EU regulations that often influence UK import standards, particularly post-Brexit.

For brand owners and procurement teams, this update is not merely an administrative change. Any clarification or re-categorisation of 'higher-risk' status for specific herbs and spices could impose new testing requirements, stricter documentation, or specific BCP routing, directly impacting import costs and timelines. Manufacturers must anticipate potential adjustments to their supplier vetting processes and consider building buffer stock for key ingredients where regulatory ambiguity persists.

What this means for United Kingdom

UK supplement manufacturers importing herbs and spices from third countries must proactively review their supply chains. The 28 August 2026 guidance update may introduce new BCP requirements or reclassify botanicals as 'higher-risk', increasing inspection frequency and associated costs. This could compress margins on affected SKUs and extend lead times. Procurement teams should engage with customs agents and ingredient suppliers by Q4 2025 to ascertain potential impacts. Compliance teams must assess if current HACCP plans align with potential new testing protocols, particularly for 'higher-risk' raw materials, to avoid import rejections or delays.

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