Tēnā koe

Thank you for providing feedback on the new Food Safety Information Bylaw 2020 between 2 December 2019 and 2 February 2020.

Council has considered feedback received from 1498 people and organisations.

On 30 April 2020 council decided to adopt the new Food Safety Information Bylaw 2020, with changes in response to feedback and the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on food businesses.

The new bylaw will come into force on 23 May 2020 and will:

• continue to require most Auckland restaurants, cafés and takeaways to display a food grade (specifically, food businesses which operate under a Template Food Control Plan under the Food Act 2014, serve the public and are registered and verified by council)
• clarify preferred locations for food grade display at premises
• introduce a new rule from 31 December 2020 for display of food grade information on digital platforms (for example a website, webpage, social medium or app) related to and controlled by the food business.

What happens now?

• the same food businesses as under the current Food Safety Bylaw 2013 must continue to display a food grade (for example most Auckland restaurants, cafés and takeaways)
• from 23 May 2020, those food businesses must display the food grade at all doors used by the public. If the food grade would not be visible there, the food grade must be displayed at the next preferred location listed in the bylaw
• from 31 December 2020, those food businesses must display their food grade information on any digital platforms (for example a website, webpage, social medium or app) related to and controlled by that business.  Businesses can choose to display an image of the food grade, or a statement of the food grade and a link to council’s food grade search webpage. Note: this rule does not require a food business to create a digital presence.

More information

• on the decision, read the Auckland Council Governing Body agenda and minutes for its meeting on 30 April 2020, item 9
• on the consideration of public feedback to the new bylaw, read the Bylaw Panel agenda for its meeting on 14 April 2020
• on the new bylaw as publicly notified on 2 December 2019 and the review of the current bylaw, visit the have your say page
• on the new food safety bylaw, visit the council’s bylaw webpage.

If you have any questions, please contact us at 09 301 0101.