Last chance to register CBD products

Businesses have until 26 May 2022 to submit evidence that their products are linked to a credible application and were on the market before February 2020.

FSA director of policy Rebecca Sudworth said the publication of the CBD public list last month prompted a number of companies to come forward with new evidence linking large numbers of individual product to applications.

The standards body is now reviewing this new evidence to assess whether these products meet the criteria to be added to the list.

‘Unexpected development’​

“This is an unexpected development as this product information should have been provided to us much earlier in the process,”​ said Sudworth. “To support businesses to achieve compliance for their products, we are therefore making one final call for evidence from businesses to link their products to credible applications.”​

The FSA aimed to update the public list twice before 30 June, with the first update due very soon. After 30 June, no new products will be added – the only changes made after this date will be to reflect changes to the products in its novel foods authorisation process.

Sudworth added: “The CBD business is a large and complex market, where currently no products on sale have formally been through the necessary safety assessment. ​

Towards compliance ​

“The FSA continues to take a proportionate and pragmatic approach to bringing this huge range of products towards compliance. There will continue to be a degree of change in the short term as the process continues – certainty will only come after authorisation of CBD applications is achieved.”​

CBD novel food applications are still being accepted by the FSA, but products connected to these applications should not be put on sale until they have completed the process and secured authorisation.

Currently, no CBD products have been authorised for sale in the UK and validated applications will now move on to a full scientific risk assessment. However, the FSA recommended to local authorities that the products on the list marked as ‘Validated’ or ‘Awaiting evidence’ may stay on the market in England and Wales, pending further consideration.