CBD Edible Sales Crackdown hits UK Retailers Hard

After a CBD edible sales crackdown, retailers in the UK are being forced to pull hundreds of products off the market.

The Food Standards Agency last month published an extensive list of 3,500 products that are in the process of gaining approval for sale. This only represents a fraction of CBD products on sale in the country, however. Any products not on the list were to be immediately withdrawn from sale in England and Wales.

CBD Edible Sales Crackdown Causes Products to Be Pulled from Shelves

Companies such as Cellular Goods were forced to withdraw items. Part-owned by retired footballer David Beckham, the measures have hit them by surprise. The agency also banned the launching of any new CBD brands and products after February 2020. They said this was to ensure they could assess the risks of the existing market.

Following complaints that some brands had been missed off in error the agency announced it would update the list twice before the end of June. After this they said no further products would be added.

Future CBD launches will either have to obtain full novel foods authorisation before going to market. It is also possible to work with a supplier that already has full authorisation.

Retail giants like Holland & Barrett, and Amazon.com Inc, also say they are in the process of removing any products not in the list.

Consumer Craze for CBD Causes Market Boom

Sales of products containing CBD started to accelerate a few years ago. As opposed to its psychoactive relative cannabinoid THC, it is not classed as an illegal drug.

The market for CBD has boomed amid a consumer craze for wellness and healthy lifestyles. The product is being touted as a relief for ailments from anxiety to joint pain. This year it is estimated to exceed €3bn in Europe, according to cannabis consultancy Prohibition Partners.