What’s on the retail horizon?

There are a number of significant legal and regulatory changes on the horizon in 2024 which will shape the retail landscape.

Our Retail Horizon Scanner is designed to help retail businesses in the UK stay up to date by giving an overview of the legal developments in the sector.

Check out our LinkedIn page where we provide more detailed updates throughout the year.

Please contact one of our retail experts to talk about what these changes mean for you and your business.

February 3
2026
Chemical manufacturer fined after two serious incidents in three months
Chemical manufacturer fined after two serious incidents in three months

A chemical manufacturer has been fined £50,000 after two employees were injured…
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February 3
2026
New plan to focus on ‘forever chemicals’ unveiled
New plan to focus on ‘forever chemicals’ unveiled

The government has announced a plan to protect the environment from ‘forever…
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February 4
Plant company fined after employee hit by JCB bucket
Plant company fined after employee hit by JCB bucket

A plant company has been fined £10,000 after a mechanic suffered life-changing…
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February 5
Manufacturer fined after employee’s fingers severed in machinery
Manufacturer fined after employee’s fingers severed in machinery

A wooden cable drum manufacturer has been fined £24,395 after an employee…
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February 5
Man sentenced after illegal gas work put pensioner at risk
Man sentenced after illegal gas work put pensioner at risk

A man that claimed to be Gas Safe Registered (GSR) has been…
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February 5
Fire enforcement notices served on nuclear contractors
Fire enforcement notices served on nuclear contractors

The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has served a fire enforcement notice…
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February 11
Machine manufacturer fined after employee’s finger amputated
Machine manufacturer fined after employee’s finger amputated

A machine manufacturing company has been fined £10,000 after an employee’s finger…
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February 11
The Environment Agency increase enforcement workforce
The Environment Agency increase enforcement workforce

The Environment Agency (EA) has put together its largest ever team of…
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February 13
Company fined after agency work burned with chemicals
Company fined after agency work burned with chemicals

A manufacturer of household chemicals has been fined £50,000 after an agency…
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February 16
Suspended sentence issued to man after illegal boiler replacement
Suspended sentence issued to man after illegal boiler replacement

A man was issued with a suspended sentence after carrying out illegal…
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February 16
Construction company fined after worker injured in fall from height
Construction company fined after worker injured in fall from height

A construction company has been fined £24,000 after a worker fell from…
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February 16
Government consults on penalties for motoring offences
Government consults on penalties for motoring offences

The Department for Transport has opened a consultation seeking views on proposed…
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February 18
Forging company fined following death of employee
Forging company fined following death of employee

A forging company has been fined £750,000 after an operative became entangled…
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February 20
Housing provider prosecuted by fire service for fire safety failings
Housing provider prosecuted by fire service for fire safety failings

Surrey Fire and Rescue Service prosecuted a housing association for fire safety…
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February 20
Police forced fined for health and safety failings
Police forced fined for health and safety failings

A police force has been prosecuted and fined £85,800 after a student…
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February 23
Water company fined £733,333 for pollution incidents
Water company fined £733,333 for pollution incidents

Yorkshire Water has been fined £733,333 after pleading guilty to three separate…
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February 25
Crime and Policing Bill at Report Stage
Crime and Policing Bill at Report Stage

The Crime and Policing Bill 2025 was introduced in the House of…
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March 6
Two companies prosecuted after one worker killed and another seriously injured
Two companies prosecuted after one worker killed and another seriously injured

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted two companies following a tragic…
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March 9
Large-scale asbestos disturbance leads to prosecutions
Large-scale asbestos disturbance leads to prosecutions

Two companies and an individual site manager have been convicted of health…
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March 13
Company fined after worker suffers life changing crush injuries
Company fined after worker suffers life changing crush injuries

A waste and recycling company has been fined £24,000 after a worker was crushed by…
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March 15
Environment Agency may receive ‘police-style’ powers
Environment Agency may receive ‘police-style’ powers

The newly announced enforcement powers are part of the yet to be…
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March 25
Plastics firm fined after two workers lose fingers in ten days
Plastics firm fined after two workers lose fingers in ten days

A company has been fined £16,000 after pleading guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the…
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March 24
UK-wide consultation on proposals for reform to the PRN system
UK-wide consultation on proposals for reform to the PRN system

A PRN is a document certifying that the packaging waste of a…
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March 27
Large Builders Merchant Fined £2.2 Million
Large Builders Merchant Fined £2.2 Million

A major builder’s merchant has been fined after a worker was crushed in a…
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April 1
Global Asbestos Week
Global Asbestos Week

From 1 to 7 April Global Asbestos Awareness Week aims to highlight…
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April 7
New HSE consultation on RIDDOR
New HSE consultation on RIDDOR

On Tuesday 7 April, HSE launched its consultation on The Reporting of…
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April 10
Eurotunnel fined £2.25m after surveyor suffered serious injuries
Eurotunnel fined £2.25m after surveyor suffered serious injuries

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has prosecuted The Channel Tunnel Group Limited (Eurotunnel) for…
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April 13
Flower supplier fined £134,000 following amputation to worker’s leg
Flower supplier fined £134,000 following amputation to worker’s leg

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a flower supplier after a worker…
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April 16
Company fined £30,000 after worker crushed by one-tonne block while inside HGV trailer
Company fined £30,000 after worker crushed by one-tonne block while inside HGV trailer

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a company after a…
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April 20
Waste management company fined £120,000 after worker crushed by excavator
Waste management company fined £120,000 after worker crushed by excavator

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a company after a…
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April 21
Manufacturing company fined £340,000 after worker seriously injured while cleaning machinery
Manufacturing company fined £340,000 after worker seriously injured while cleaning machinery

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has prosecuted a company after a…
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April 24
Chemical company fined after two employees suffer serious chemical burns
Chemical company fined after two employees suffer serious chemical burns

A chemical manufacturing company has been fined £3.8 million after employees at two separate…
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April 27
Company fined for lack of employers’ liability insurance
Company fined for lack of employers’ liability insurance

A scrap metal merchant has been fined £1,000 after pleading guilty to breaching the…
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April 29
Diving instructor fined for falsifying medical certificate
Diving instructor fined for falsifying medical certificate

A diving instruction has been fined £700 after falsifying a Health and Safety Executive…
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April 30
Manufacturer fined after worker suffered serious damage to his hand
Manufacturer fined after worker suffered serious damage to his hand

A tissue manufacturer has been fined £60,000 and pleaded guilty to breaching section…
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May 1
University fined after employees develop occupational asthma
University fined after employees develop occupational asthma

A university has been fined £280,000 after pleading guilty to breaching Section 2(1)…
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May 1
SFO fines a British defence supplier £10m
SFO fines a British defence supplier £10m

In its first Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) in four years, the Serious…
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May 5
Tree surgeon suffers electric shock from overhead powerline
Tree surgeon suffers electric shock from overhead powerline

The tree surgeon was part of a team of three carrying out…
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May 6
Fly-tippers could lose driving licence under new court powers
Fly-tippers could lose driving licence under new court powers

New measures under the Policing and Crime Act could see fly-tippers lose their driving licence as…
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May 7
Operator’s licence revoked from company after serious failures
Operator’s licence revoked from company after serious failures

The company, which held a restricted goods vehicle operator’s licence for one vehicle, appeared before the…
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May 8
Company fined after roofer fell through loft hatch
Company fined after roofer fell through loft hatch

A company has been fined £20,000 after pleading guilty to breaching Regulation 4(1) of…
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May 11
HSE cracks down on dry cutting of engineered stone
HSE cracks down on dry cutting of engineered stone

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued new guidance banning dry cutting of engineered…
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May 12
Company fined £167,000 for several health and safety failures
Company fined £167,000 for several health and safety failures

A waste and recycling company has been fined for multiple health and safety…
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May 13
Crown Censure authorised at HMP Dartmoor
Crown Censure authorised at HMP Dartmoor

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has announced their intention to serve…
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May 14
Company fined £350,000 following collapse of chemical tank
Company fined £350,000 following collapse of chemical tank

A company has been fined £350,000 following the collapse of a chemical tank…
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