Food Standards Scotland (FSS) is to develop guidance for sellers of food on social media after a survey found buying products in this way was more common than predicted.

Research focused on ready-to-eat (RTE) food sold on Facebook Marketplace in Scotland. A total of 476 advertisements were included in the analysis.

Bakery and confectionery items accounted for almost two-thirds of the RTE foods sold while 12 percent were takeaway meals collected or delivered hot.

High-risk items like smoked fish, sushi, cured meat, and sprouted seeds only accounted for a small percentage of listings. Many ads didn’t include information such as an ingredient or allergen list.

Public health risk
Local authority officers have expressed concern that unregistered sellers are producing microgreens potentially without knowing the microbiological risks of these products, and that this may be an increasing market for home producers because of possible import delays following EU exit.

An online survey of 1,063 people in late 2023 found 21 percent of respondents had bought food from social media. This was from a range of platforms, such as Facebook Marketplace, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter). Participants had a range of motivations for buying food this way with the main ones being to support a local business and convenience.

If the 21 percent result is extrapolated to the Scottish population, it sugg...