Abstract:
This paper reports the first stage of work being undertaken to understand the
factors that have impacted on the current state of food safety in the UK food
manufacturing sector. The paper first explores developments in international
food safety regulation in general and in particular, the UK. Using a survey and
case study methodology, the paper examines the response of food manufacturing
enterprises to food safety regulation, and uses statistical techniques to
investigate the effects of enterprise size on the drivers for, benefits of, and
challenges to compliance. Further, the factors that influence the successful
implementation of an integrated food safety management system are also examined.
The results show a great deal of both statutory and private regulation that has
incentivised enterprises. In response, enterprises have implemented integrated
food safety management systems to proactively deal with the risks associated
with food safety, however, enterprises claim that statutory regulations are
biased towards consumers, without adequate impact assessments on all
stakeholders within the chain, and hence causing industry to incur significant
costs that could otherwise be avoided. Even though compliance with food safety
regulation is burdensome, the cost of non-compliance will also be significant to
enterprises. The findings also show that there is no significant effect of size
of enterprise on the drivers, benefits and challenges to compliance with food
safety regulation. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
