Switzerland bans BPA and other hazardous bisphenols in food contact materials

On June 2, 2025, the Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO) updated the Ordinance on Food Contact Materials and Articles, aligning Swiss law more closely with European Union standards (FPF reported). A key element of the revision is a ban on the use of bisphenol A (BPA, CAS 80-05-7) and other hazardous bisphenols and their derivatives in coatings and varnishes used on food contact materials, except for large industrial containers (over 1,000 liters). To verify the absence of BPA, an extraction method with a detection limit of at least 1 μg/kg must be used.

Although the ban formally includes hazardous bisphenols and their derivatives, the FSVO’s definition is limited to structures where the phenol groups are connected by a single atom (see Figure). This excludes commonly used substances like bisphenol M (CAS 13595-25-0)  and bisphenol P (CAS 2167-51-3), which feature a benzene ring in the bridging unit. Notably, bisphenol M is under assessment by ECHA for being an endocrine disruptor, raising concerns about its continued use in food contact materials. Because these compounds fall outside the current structural definition, they are not regulated under the revised ordinance – creating a significant regulatory gap that may permit continued use of harmful bisphenols.

Bisphenol definition by FSVO	* represents any bridging group connecting the two phenyl rings through a single atom, this atom may carry any substituents.
Bisphenol M
Bisphenol P

The changes took effect on July 1, 2025, with transitional periods allowing manufacturers and distributors time to comply. Depending on the product category, most uses must stop by July 20, 2026, with a full phase-out by January 20, 2029.

References

Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (June 02, 2025). “Verordnung des EDI über Materialien und Gegenstände, die dazu bestimmt sind, mit Lebensmitteln in Berührung zu kommen (Bedarfsgegenständeverordnung) – Änderung vom 2. Juni 2025.” (in German, also available in French and Italian).

ECHA (June 30, 2025). “Bisphenol M – Substance Info Card.”

ECHA (June 30, 2025). “Bisphenol P – Substance Info Card.”

Read more

News Service Bund (June 26, 2025). “Gesundheitsschutz im Lebensmittelrecht wird weiter gestärkt.” (in German, also available in French and Italian).