Products from UK-based CBD brand Trip have been restocked in health-food retailer Holland & Barrett following their removal last week due to updated Food Standards Agency (FSA) guidelines.
The UK’s FSA reduced its recommended daily consumption limit of CBD from 70mg to 10mg. It said high consumption of CBD over a lifetime could heighten the risk of liver damage, somnolence (excessive tiredness) and thyroid issues.
This sparked concern with some retailers and Holland & Barrett reacted by temporarily removing Trip’s products from shelves.
A spokesperson for Holland & Barrett said: “as a responsible retailer we always act with our customers’ best interests at heart, which is why we temporarily removed some products from sale while our science, legal and independent advisors assessed the new guidance from the FSA.
“In line with the FSA's direction, we have now developed advisory guidance, training for colleagues, online advice and information at shelf edge, meaning that customers can access the information they need when choosing which strength is right for them.”
Trip confirmed to Just Drinks that Holland & Barrett was the only store to remove its listings temporarily, which totalled 31 products.
A spokesperson for Trip said: “Not all CBD is created equal. The FSA updated recommended daily guideline of 10mg CBD dosage is based on a study of three lower grade ingredient samples, which does not include Trip’s CBD.”
They added: “This message is echoed by Trip’s retailer partners, who have been overwhelmingly supportive, retailers are clear that Trip is in full compliance with the regulation.”
The UK-based CBD brand was established in 2018 by Olivia Ferdi and her husband Dan Khoury after he suffered a knee accident that required surgery. The duo discovered CBD during his recovery process.
A privately held company, Trip does not provide publicly available sales and profit figures but claims to hold an 88% share of the CBD drinks market in Europe. Its products are stocked in 25,000 outlets in Europe, including Sainsbury’s, Boots and Harrods in the UK.
London-based membership organisation The Association For The Cannabinoid Industry (ACI) said the FSA's guidance would not have any immediate impact on the UK’s list of licensed CBD products.
In a statement following the FSA update, the ACI said: “We urge retailers to take this as guidance, which it is. Nothing will change immediately in terms of products included on the FSA’s public list.”
CBD is a chemical compound found in the cannabis plant that has little or no psychoactive properties of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the cannabis compound that causes a “high” when consumed.
FSA CEO Emily Miles said at the time: “We understand that this change to our advice will have implications for products currently on the market that contain more than 10mg of CBD per serving. We will be working closely with industry to minimise the risk that consumers are not exposed to potentially harmful levels of CBD.”
