IAM to establish registration system for takeaway establishments

To further improve the food safety supervision system, the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) recently announced that it plans to establish a registration system for establishments providing takeaway food.
Mandatory registration will be imposed on establishments which engage in takeaway activities and are not regulated by licenses at present.
“The focus will be on monitoring and control of food product sources and processing procedures to step up supervision of food safety,” the IAM statement read.
It is proposed that the new registration system will require takeaway outlets to be registered before commencing operation, to operate in a physical store and to publicly display their registration certificate .
Third-party online food ordering platforms are also required to ensure that takeaway establishments using the platforms have completed registration before making their food available for sale. This further clarifies responsibilities within the sector and safeguards public health.
At present, there are about 2,100 takeaway establishments in the city.
With the aim of ensuring food safety, IAM said that, after full consideration of public opinion and the business environment of local small and micro enterprises as well as iconic older shops, it has created a “suitable and operative registration system” for establishments of takeaway activities without affecting the existing license system.
It is planned that there will be two registration methods in the future for operators to submit applications, either by visiting any of the IAM service centers in person or by electronic application.
The new registration system will facilitate the comprehensive and systematic management of takeaway establishments by authorities and the third-party online food ordering platforms. LV