A new report from the Bio-based and Biodegradable Industries Association (BBIA) reveals that outdated and fragmented UK regulations are stifling innovation, investment, and job creation in the country’s rapidly growing modern industrial bioeconomy — a sector projected to be worth £30 trillion globally by 2050.

The study, “Unlocking Regulatory Pathways for Novel Bio-Based Chemicals and Materials in the UK,” finds that approval for some bio-based products takes 45% longer and costs more than double that of fossil-derived equivalents. For bio-based cosmetic ingredients, approvals can take 72 weeks and cost £815,000, compared with 50 weeks and £372,000 for fossil-based ingredients.

These delays are costing the UK economy millions — with just three SMEs losing £35.7 million in annual GVA and over 470 potential jobs due to regulatory barriers. The report warns that, without reform, the UK risks falling behind global leaders such as the US, EU, and Singapore, who are already modernising their bio-based regulatory systems.

Key Findings

• UK regulatory systems remain fossil-biased and overly complex, with companies facing up to 11 approval stages for bio-based products compared to 7 for fossil-based ones.
• Duplicated testing, inconsistent data requirements, and lack of inter-agency coordination create costly delays.
• Regulatory frameworks fail to recognise sustainability benefits or apply proportionate, risk-based approaches.
• Five Key Recommendations
• Create a UK Bio-Based Chemicals and Materials Regulatory Roadmap – A unified, innovation-friendly framework across DEFRA, HSE, DBT, DSIT, and FSA.
• Establish a Green Innovation Pathway – Fast-track approvals for low-risk, sustainable bio-based chemicals and materials.
• Enable Bio-Based Data Equivalence and Read-Across – Cut duplication by recognising comparable safety data across bio-derived substances.
• Integrate Sustainability Criteria into Regulatory Decisions – Embed carbon, recyclability, and circularity metrics into approvals.
• Strengthen International Standards Alignment – Ensure global market access and leadership in sustainable bio-based chemicals and materials.

A Call to Action

Dr Jen Vanderhoven, BBIA COO and lead author, said:

“The UK has world-class research and innovation in industrial biotechnology, engineering biology and AI — but without clear, proportionate, and science-led regulation, these breakthroughs will not translate into real-world impact. Modernising our regulatory framework is essential to unlocking billions in economic value and securing the UK’s leadership in the global modern industrial bioeconomy.”