UK Food Safety Testing Market Size to Reach US$2.8 Billion by 2033

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Shaped by strict Food Standards Agency (FSA) regulations and post-Brexit import complexities, the UK market emphasizes robust allergen management and supply chain traceability. High consumer awareness and advanced rapid testing methods are integral to maintaining confidence.

Chicago, Aug. 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The UK food safety testing market was valued at US$ 1,306.23 million in 2024 and is expected to reach US$ 2,801.82 million by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 9.23% during the forecast period 2025–2033.

A dramatic surge in foodborne pathogens is a primary catalyst for growth. The frequency and scale of recent outbreaks are alarming. Official data show 70,352 laboratory-confirmed cases of Campylobacter in England during 2024, marking a decade-long high. Similarly, Salmonella infections in England peaked at 10,388 reported cases in 2024. Specific outbreaks highlight the severity of the situation. A 2024 Salmonella Blockley event resulted in 54 cases across the UK. These cases were distributed with 36 in England, 11 in Scotland, and 7 in Wales. The outbreak led to the hospitalization of ten individuals.

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Even more concerning was a major Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) O145 outbreak in summer 2024, which caused over 250 illnesses in the UK food safety testing market. By late June 2024, confirmed cases reached 275. The geographical breakdown shows 182 cases in England, 58 in Scotland, and 31 in Wales. The outbreak’s severity is underscored by the 122 people hospitalized. Furthermore, seven confirmed cases of haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) were directly linked to the STEC O145 event. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is actively investigating an increased number of incidents. Investigations into Listeria-related outbreaks grew to 17 in the 2024/25 period. STEC-related outbreak investigations rose to 13, and Salmonella outbreak investigations increased to 11 in the same timeframe. Adding to the domestic pressure, 2,703 cases of travel-associated gastrointestinal infections were recorded in England in 2024, with 183 of these being travel-related STEC infections.

Key Findings in UK Food Safety Testing Market

Chemical Contaminant Risks Mandate Broader and More Sophisticated Testing Protocols

The threat is not limited to pathogens; chemical contaminants demand equal attention in the UK food safety testing market. Growing concerns over pesticides, industrial chemicals, and mycotoxins are expanding the required scope of testing services. In 2024, the FSA issued 14 food alerts for metal contamination alone, with 4 of these occurring by April. Analysis of imported food revealed residues of 48 pesticides not approved for use in the UK. A deeper look found residues from 46 cancer-linked pesticides in imported produce. In comparison, 19 cancer-linked pesticides were detected in food originating from the UK in 2024.

The issue of “forever chemicals” has become prominent. A 2024 analysis discovered 10 different PFAS pesticides in fruit and vegetables sold in the UK food safety testing market. The nation currently approves 25 PFAS pesticides for use, with 6 of them classified as ‘highly hazardous’. Government testing confirmed the presence of PFAS chemicals in over 3,300 food and drink samples in 2024. These findings came from a program that tested approximately 3,000 samples of food and produce. Meanwhile, the UK’s annual testing for heavy metals covers a mere 400 to 450 samples of meat, milk, fish, and honey. A potential source of contamination is the UK’s over 8,500 abandoned mines, which can leach toxic metals into the food chain. Specific food surveys also raise red flags. In a 2024 retail food survey, 13 out of 30 soy samples tested contained elevated levels of the mycotoxin ochratoxin A. A separate test of 90 samples for physical contaminants found one sample to be non-compliant.

Escalating Product Recalls and Allergy Alerts Underscore Critical Testing Needs

The sheer volume of product recalls provides a stark indicator of systemic weaknesses. These events in the UK food safety testing market are not only more frequent but also larger in scale, fuelling investment in preventive testing. In 2024, just three large-scale recall alerts implicated a staggering 424 different products. The average number of products recalled per event in 2024 was 2.5 times higher than in 2023. In the 2023/24 period, the FSA and Food Standards Scotland (FSS) issued a combined total of 136 food alerts. Within that total, 66 were specific Allergy Alerts. The focus on allergens intensified significantly, with 101 Allergy Alerts issued by the FSA and FSS in 2024.

Beyond allergens, there were 67 product recalls in 2024 due to issues like foreign bodies and microbial contamination. The problem is widespread. In the first quarter of 2025, a total of 1,242 food and beverage recalls were recorded across the EU and UK. Non-bacterial contamination was responsible for 550 of these recalls. Aflatoxins were the culprit in 135 recall events. Bacterial contamination led to 237 recalls, with Salmonella being the cause of 174 of those incidents. Undeclared allergens prompted 94 recalls in Q1 2025, with milk being the most frequent issue, causing 19 separate recalls. Such figures make a compelling case for the expanding UK food safety testing market.

Strict Regulatory Enforcement and Incident Management Spur Compliance-Driven Testing Demand

Regulatory bodies are intensifying their oversight, making robust testing a non-negotiable aspect of compliance. The FSA’s incidents response unit managed 1,837 food and feed incidents in the 2023/24 financial year. In the subsequent 2024/25 period, the FSA received notifications for 1,825 incidents across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Beyond direct notifications, the agency monitored 12,504 food safety signals in 2024/25. These signals prompted 810 intelligence assessments, which in turn launched 36 new investigations. Ultimately, these monitored signals resulted in 18 new incidents that required product withdrawal from the market.

Local authorities are also increasing formal enforcement actions, which rose to 5,898 for food hygiene in 2023/24. Actions related to food standards in the food safety testing market grew to 658 in the same period. The financial consequences of non-compliance are severe. In a high-profile 2024 case, retailer ASDA was fined £640,000 for selling over 100 out-of-date food items. Asda was also ordered to pay an additional £15,115 in prosecution costs. The case was not an isolated one; it followed two other 2024 instances where Asda was fined £250,000 and £410,000 for similar food safety breaches. These penalties send a clear message to the industry.

Specialized Food Crime and Fraud Investigations Are Now Major Market Drivers

A growing area of focus is the criminal threat to the food supply chain. Specialized units are actively tackling food fraud, creating a niche for advanced authenticity and integrity testing. The UK’s food crime units were running 29 live investigations during 2024. A significant portion of these, 20 investigations, involved meat and meat products. The scale of these operations is considerable. In a single food crime case in November 2024, officers seized 48 illegal sheep carcasses. As part of that National Food Crime Unit (NFCU) investigation into illegal meat, five men were arrested in London.

The NFCU is also securing financial penalties against perpetrators. In a 2025 case, the unit obtained a confiscation order of over £30,000 from an individual selling illegal ‘smokie’ meat products. The action marked the third high-profile ‘smokie’ meat fraud case pursued by the NFCU within a single year. These enforcement successes highlight the critical need for sophisticated testing solutions that can verify the origin, composition, and legality of food products, a key growth area for the UK food safety testing market.

Strained Local Authority Resources Create Significant Gaps in Public Food Safety

While regulatory demands are increasing, the capacity of public enforcement bodies is strained. Under-resourced local authorities in the UK food safety testing market are struggling to maintain oversight, shifting a greater burden of responsibility onto businesses and their internal testing programs. As of 2024, there is a backlog of 95,000 overdue food business inspections across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Worryingly, this backlog includes 871 businesses classified as high-risk. In Scotland, 12,533 registered food businesses remained unrated as of December 2024. The number of unrated establishments awaiting a first inspection in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland had grown to around 41,000 by April 2024.

This resource strain is directly impacting surveillance. The total number of food samples taken by local authorities across the UK dropped to 37,911 in the 2023/24 period. This figure is down from 40,144 samples in the prior period, showing a continuing decline in public testing capacity. Concurrently, consumer complaints are rising. There was an increase of 1,540 consumer complaints related to food hygiene in 2023/24, reaching a total of 60,919. Complaints regarding food standards and authenticity also rose by 200, to a total of 11,188 in the same period.

Competitive Landscape Heats Up as Key Players Expand to Meet Demands

Leading providers in the UK food safety testing market are responding to these challenges with strategic expansions and innovations. Key players are enhancing their capabilities to capture growing demand, particularly in identified hotspot sectors. In July 2025, Eurofins Food Testing UK demonstrated a clear growth strategy by finalizing its acquisition of the Bio Search food testing laboratory in Belfast. The move significantly expands its capabilities and footprint in Northern Ireland. In 2024, Eurofins also launched a new method for enumerating acetic acid bacteria, a service specifically targeting the needs of the UK beverage industry.

These expansions are timely, as certain food categories are under intense scrutiny. A 2024 FSA survey found that 16 out of 40 samples of frozen raw chicken, a total of 40%, were non-compliant due to issues like undeclared water. The same survey revealed that 10 out of 24 frozen beef burger samples, or 42%, were non-compliant. Among the non-compliant burger samples, eight were found to have less meat content than what was declared on the label. These sector-specific failings create clear opportunities for specialized testing services.

Advanced Whole Genome Sequencing Technology Revolutionizes Outbreak Response and Investigation

The evolution of the UK food safety testing market is intrinsically linked to technological advancement. While widespread adoption rates are proprietary, official reports confirm the critical role of next-generation methods. Advanced testing technologies, particularly whole genome sequencing (WGS), are no longer on the horizon; they are central to modern surveillance and response. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) extensively used WGS to successfully identify and manage the 2024 outbreaks of Salmonella Blockley and E. coli O145.

The application of WGS in these high-profile incidents demonstrates the technology’s power. It allows for a level of precision in linking cases and identifying the source of an outbreak that was previously impossible. This capability is transforming public health investigations. The clear success and growing reliance on WGS signal a market-wide shift. The move is away from traditional culturing methods and toward more rapid, accurate, and data-rich technologies. This technological pivot is a fundamental driver of investment and innovation across the entire food safety sector.

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Post-Brexit Regulations and Future Trends Shaping the UK Food Safety Market

The future of the UK food safety testing market will be shaped by an evolving regulatory framework and the continuation of current trends. Post-Brexit adjustments are creating new compliance hurdles and, consequently, new testing requirements. As of January 1, 2024, a significant new rule took effect. All pre-packaged food sold in Great Britain must now include a UK address for the Food Business Operator. The change introduces new labeling verification needs for the entire industry.

Looking ahead, the market’s growth trajectory appears strong and certain. The convergence of the key drivers—relentless pathogen pressure, expanding chemical threats, massive product recalls, tough enforcement, and public sector gaps—creates a compelling case for sustained investment. Businesses have no alternative but to integrate more frequent, more sophisticated, and more comprehensive testing into their operations. The demand is not just for testing, but for a true partnership in risk mitigation, making the UK food safety testing market a critical component of national food security and public health for years to come.

UK Food Safety Testing Market Major Players:

ALS Laboratories (UK) Limited

Bureau Veritas UK Limited

Campden BRI Group

Eurofins Food Testing UK Limited

Fera Science Limited

Food Forensics Limited

Intertek Group Plc.

Northern Hygiene Laboratories Limited

SGS United Kingdom Limited

TÜV SÜD UK Limited

Other Prominent Players

Key Market Segmentation:

By Test Method

Microbiological Test

Total Plate Count (TPC)

Coliform Testing

Listeria Testing

Salmonella Testing

Campylobacter Testing

Sensory Test

Manual

Smell

Taste

Appearance

Others

Instrumental

Smell

Taste

Appearance

Others

Physical Test

Chemical Test

Allergen Test

Others

By Product Type

Processed Food

Fruits &Vegetables

Beverages

Grains & Cereal

Confectionery

Meat & Meat Products

Milk & Milk Products

Others

By Technology

Traditional Testing

Rapid Testing

By Service Sourcing

By End User

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