Last year, 467 companies in Belgium had to temporarily close due to non-compliance with food safety regulations.
It was as announced in the annual report of the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FAVV) released on Monday.
In 2024, the FAVV conducted a total of 107,508 inspections across more than 58,000 companies throughout Belgium. During these inspections, around 15% resulted in unfavourable reports.
In most cases, the agency issued warnings (15,524 times), filed official reports (9,931 times), or confiscated goods (1,673 times).
Temporary closures were enforced in 467 instances this year, compared to just under 400 in 2023.
According to spokesperson Hélène Bonte, closures are implemented when there is an acute threat to public health, typically involving several serious violations such as pest infestations or extremely poor hygiene.
Approximately 22,000 of the inspections took place in the distribution sector, which includes bakeries, butchers, supermarkets, fish shops, large kitchens, and hospitality businesses.
Compliance rates in this sector have notably declined, with only 63.4% of businesses meeting standards in 2024, down from seven out of ten in 2023.
Common issues include failure to display allergen information correctly, inadequate hand hygiene, and insufficient cleaning of food-contact surfaces. In contrast, over 90% of agricultural businesses comply with food safety regulations.
Bonte notes the downward trend but states there is no clear explanation. Many entrepreneurs start their businesses with passion but might lack sufficient knowledge about food safety.
For instance, not everyone is aware of the rules surrounding allergen information, yet more people are allergic or intolerant to certain substances, making any violation potentially severe for them.
The FAVV also routinely checks shipments entering through ports and airports, as well as samples of food products already on the Belgian market. These inspections had a 98% compliance rate, indicating a high level of food safety in the country.
In 2024, a total of 283 products were recalled, mostly due to chemical or microbiological risks.
FAVV’s consumer complaint hotline managed 5,222 complaints, with over half leading to actions being taken in the field.
