The voluntary ban will become compulsory in five years which is said to allow time for ammunition development of non lead ammunition with non plastic wads.
As far as I am aware there are no recorded cases of human lead poisoning in the UK caused by consumption of game.
One factor is the marketing of considerable amounts of game from commercial shoots as there is no export market for lead shot game and domestic sales to supermarkets are insisting on non lead shot game.
Wildfowlers who have been using non lead ammunition for years now are not so phased by the announcement and are on the whole more optimistic on shootings future here in the UK but I think a lot of game shooters are more resistant to change and feel let down that the the lead ban wasnt fought a bit harder by the shooting organisations representing them.
It is debatable whether this has been brought about by the large scale deposition of lead shot on commercial shoots or the shooting organisations preempting imminent legislation to cut a better deal for shooters by having a phased ban. The phased ban would give time to allow shooters to adapt their shotguns if necessary and try alternative ammunition prior to a ban and enable cartridge manufacturers time to develop ammunition suitable for the UK market.