Going back to the source of this story reveals that this is yet another example of journalistic hyperbolism!

https://insidegovuk.blog.gov.uk/2016/07/20/changes-to-the-style-guide-no-more-eg-and-ie-etc/

The truth is that it is just three Latin abbreviations that authors are being discouraged from using on .gov.uk web pages - etc., i.e. and etc.

The blog on the .gov.uk site explaining the decision gives very good reasons for the change which weren't even mentioned in the newspaper article - no surprise.