It‘s the final countdown for existing businesses that make, sell and/or transport food to meet the 28 February 2019 Food Act registration deadline. This includes businesses that transport, store or distribute food products.

New Zealand Food Safety (a business unit of the Ministry for Primary Industries/MPI) is urging owners/managers of all existing New Zealand businesses that make, sell and/or transport food, that have not registered yet, to find out immediately if they need to register a plan or programme under the Food Act 2014.

The Food Act came into force on 1 March 2016 and introduced a common sense, risk-based approach to food safety.

New Zealand Food Safety‘s food and beverage manager Sally Johnston said that under the Food Act, all people growing, making, transporting and selling food had a responsibility to keep it safe.

“Most New Zealand food businesses have now registered, which is excellent,” Johnston said. “New Zealand Food Safety, local councils and industry organisations are working hard to help all remaining businesses to meet the 28 February 2019 deadline for registration.

“If existing food businesses are not registered by the 28 February deadline, they will be operating unregistered businesses, their retail customers may refuse to accept their goods or use their services, and MPI and local councils may need to take enforcement action. So, immediate action needs to be taken to get registered.”

Under the Food Act, new food businesses have to register as soon as they start trading and existing food businesses (operating under the Food Hygiene Regulations 1974 or Food Act 1981) had from 1 March 2016 until 28 February 2019 to register in stages, with different groups registering each year.

“If a business wants to find out what rules they need to follow and how to register, they can use the online tool Where Do I Fit? as a starting point – www.mpi.govt.nz/where-do-i-fit,” Johnston said.

“For questions about the registration process and deadline, please contact your local council, email foodactinfo@mpi.govt.nz, or call 0800 00 83 33.”

[DISPLAY_ULTIMATE_SOCIAL_ICONS]