How Upcoming BPA Legislation Will Impact Hospital Catering.
BPA regulations for food contact materials are changing. Find out what this means for healthcare caterers and how Harfield is preparing.
There is no need to worry about the tableware you already use
BPA regulations for food contact materials are changing across Europe, and the UK is moving in the same direction.
For healthcare caterers, hospitals, care homes, NHS trusts and healthcare distributors, the most important message is simple:
There is no need to do anything immediately, and there is no need to replace Harfield polycarbonate tableware that is already in use.
Harfield polycarbonate tableware remains suitable for continued use in healthcare catering environments. The upcoming changes are about the future use of BPA in food contact materials. They are not a sudden safety warning about products already in service.
At Harfield, we are already preparing for the change. Over the next 12 to 16 months, we will transition our core polycarbonate healthcare tableware ranges to BPA-free copolyester alternatives.
For healthcare caterers and patients, the transition should feel seamless.
What is BPA?
BPA, or Bisphenol A, is a chemical used in the manufacture of some food contact materials. This includes certain plastics, coatings and other materials used in food packaging, preparation, storage and service.
The Food Standards Agency has consulted on proposals to restrict the use of BPA and related bisphenols in food contact materials. The aim is to reduce long-term dietary exposure to these substances.
This does not mean that every product containing BPA is suddenly unsafe. Food contact materials already have to meet strict legal requirements, including limits on migration into food.
What does this mean for healthcare caterers?
For healthcare catering teams, the practical implications are straightforward.
You do not need to remove existing Harfield polycarbonate tableware from wards, dining rooms, restaurants or trolley service.
You do not need to throw away usable plates, bowls, beakers, jugs, tumblers, covers or trays.
You do not need to make an urgent emergency purchase.
Instead, this is a managed transition for manufacturers and suppliers.
As existing polycarbonate ranges are replaced, Harfield will move to BPA-free copolyester versions. These will be designed to offer the same practical benefits that healthcare caterers already expect from Harfield tableware.
Why Harfield is moving to BPA-free copolyester
Harfield has supplied healthcare catering environments for decades. We understand that healthcare tableware needs to be practical, safe, durable and easy to manage.
Products used in hospitals and care homes must cope with demanding daily service. They may be used on wards, in patient dining rooms, in care home lounges, in staff restaurants, or as part of hot trolley and meal delivery systems.
They need to withstand repeated handling, stacking, washing and reuse.
That is why we are moving carefully.
Our aim is to ensure that our BPA-free copolyester ranges continue to offer the performance that healthcare caterers rely on, including:
- strong, reusable products for daily healthcare use
- lightweight tableware that is easy for staff, patients and residents to handle
- dishwasher-safe products for professional catering environments
- practical colours, shapes and sizes wherever possible
- clear product continuity for caterers, distributors and procurement teams
- a smooth transition from polycarbonate to BPA-free alternatives
In most cases, customers should not notice a practical difference when ranges move from polycarbonate to copolyester.
What is copolyester?
Copolyester is a high-performance plastic that is already used in many food contact applications.
It offers many of the same benefits that make polycarbonate popular in healthcare. It is clear, strong, reusable and suitable for demanding catering environments.
The key difference is that the copolyester grades Harfield will use for these ranges are BPA free.
This allows healthcare caterers to continue using practical, reusable tableware while remaining prepared for future regulatory changes.
Why this is not a recall
It is important to be clear: this is not a product recall.
A recall normally happens when a product presents an immediate safety issue. That is not the situation here.
The regulatory changes are about the future use of BPA in food contact materials. They are not an instruction for healthcare providers to remove existing Harfield polycarbonate products from use.
In fact, replacing perfectly usable reusable tableware too early would create unnecessary cost and waste.
The most sensible approach is to keep using your current Harfield products until they reach the end of their normal working life. They can then be replaced with the updated BPA-free versions when needed.
Healthcare providers can also continue to buy Harfield polycarbonate tableware while stocks remain available.
What Harfield is doing now
Harfield is already planning and managing the transition.
Over the next 12 to 16 months, more of our core healthcare ranges will become available in BPA-free copolyester. We are working to keep product performance, colours and availability as consistent as possible.
Our priorities are:
Continuity
Healthcare caterers should still be able to order the tableware they know and trust.
Performance
Products must remain suitable for busy healthcare catering environments, including hospitals, care homes and assisted dining settings.
Clarity
We will keep customers and distributors updated as ranges transition.
Reassurance
There is no need for panic buying or immediate replacement of products already in use.
What should healthcare caterers do?
For most healthcare catering teams, the best approach is simple.
Keep using your existing Harfield polycarbonate tableware as normal.
Review your stock levels as part of your usual replacement cycle.
Speak to your distributor or Harfield if you are planning a large tableware refresh.
Move to the BPA-free copolyester versions as they become available.
This is a managed change, not an emergency.
Supporting healthcare caterers through change
Healthcare catering teams already have a great deal to manage. Patient nutrition, hydration, allergen management, texture-modified diets, trolley service, infection control procedures, budget pressure and sustainability targets all place demands on the sector.
The BPA transition should not add unnecessary worry.
Harfield is working to make the process as straightforward as possible. Our aim is to ensure healthcare caterers can continue using durable, reusable tableware with confidence.
The material may change, but the core Harfield promise remains the same:
Safe, strong, practical tableware designed for the demands of healthcare catering.
Need advice?
If you are reviewing your healthcare tableware, planning a ward or dining room replacement programme, or have questions about BPA-free alternatives, please contact Harfield or speak to your usual distributor.
We will be happy to help you choose the right products for your healthcare catering operation.
FAQ section
Is Harfield polycarbonate tableware still safe to use in healthcare?
Yes. Harfield polycarbonate tableware remains suitable for continued use in healthcare catering environments. The regulatory changes relate to future food contact material rules and are not a recall of products already in service.
Do hospitals and care homes need to throw away existing polycarbonate tableware?
No. Hospitals, care homes and healthcare caterers do not need to throw away usable Harfield polycarbonate products. We recommend continuing to use existing tableware until it reaches the end of its normal working life.
Can healthcare providers still buy polycarbonate tableware?
Yes. Healthcare caterers, hospitals, care homes and distributors can continue to buy Harfield polycarbonate tableware while stocks remain available.
Harfield polycarbonate tableware is still suitable to buy and use. It remains one of the most practical materials for healthcare tableware because it is strong, lightweight, reusable, dishwasher safe and proven in demanding catering environments.
As regulations change, Harfield will gradually transition core ranges to BPA-free copolyester. Until then, any remaining polycarbonate stock can continue to be supplied and used with confidence.
There is no need to avoid polycarbonate products that are currently available, and there is no need to replace existing Harfield tableware before the end of its normal working life.
Is Harfield changing its products?
Yes. Harfield is transitioning core polycarbonate ranges to BPA-free copolyester over the next 12 to 16 months.
Will healthcare caterers notice a difference?
In most cases, no. Our aim is to keep products as familiar and practical as possible, with similar shapes, colours and performance.
What is the best replacement for polycarbonate healthcare tableware?
For demanding healthcare catering environments, Harfield recommends BPA-free copolyester as the preferred replacement material. It offers strength, clarity, reusability and long-term performance.
Should healthcare caterers buy new products now?
Not unless they need to. Healthcare caterers should continue with normal replacement planning. If you are placing a large order or planning a product refresh, speak to Harfield or your distributor for the latest product availability.