NVWA increases public disclosure of inspection results

The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) has recently expanded its policy on the public disclosure of inspection results. As of July 2024, inspection results for artisanal businesses and retail, such as bakeries, butcher shops, and supermarkets, are now being made publicly available. Additionally, the hospitality category has been expanded to include inspection results for youth hostels, holiday camps, and group accommodations. This move is intended to better inform consumers about the food safety standards at various businesses that provide food and beverages.

Greater transparency in food safety

The NVWA aims to increase transparency in food safety across the Netherlands through this active disclosure. Consumers can now access the results of the first hundred inspections in these new categories on the NVWA website. During inspections, the NVWA checks whether businesses comply with legal food safety requirements, focusing on aspects such as hygiene, food handling, allergen information, and pest control. Following an inspection, businesses receive one of three ratings: ‘compliant,’ ‘improvement needed,’ or ‘under increased surveillance.’

Expansion into new sectors

Since 2014, the NVWA has been publicly sharing the results of hospitality inspections. Initially, this was limited to lunchrooms, but it has since been extended to cover the entire hospitality sector in the four largest cities, and later, the entire country. In 2020, the scope was broadened to include inspections of hotels, restaurants, snack bars, and cafeterias nationwide. The recent extension to artisanal businesses and retail means that a wider range of food providers are now under scrutiny. Disclosure is always based on the most recent inspection, with results remaining online for at least three months. Businesses without a recent inspection receive the label 'no recent data'.

Nvwa.nl