Irish Food Businesses Face Unacceptable Rise in Enforcement Orders
Food businesses across Ireland are under increasing pressure to uphold stringent safety standards, following a substantial 45% increase in Enforcement Orders issued by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) in 2024. A total of 133 orders were served, a significant jump from 92 in 2023. These actions, which included 115 Closure Orders, 16 Prohibition Orders, and 2 Improvement Orders, underscore persistent challenges in maintaining robust food safety.
Common issues leading to these enforcement actions ranged from inadequate pest control and insufficient cleaning to failures in maintaining correct food temperatures and proper staff training. Dr. Pamela Byrne, Chief Executive of the FSAI, described the increase as "unacceptable," emphasising that such orders are only issued when a serious risk to consumer health is identified or when there are significant and persistent breaches of food legislation.
Consumer complaints to the FSAI's Advice Line also saw a notable increase, rising by 13.7% in 2024 to 4,996 complaints. "Unfit food" was the most frequent issue, accounting for 32% of all complaints, often involving foreign object contamination. Suspected food poisoning cases constituted 29% of complaints, a noticeable increase from 23.3% in 2023.
New Listeria Regulations and Increased Incidents in Ireland
Further compounding the regulatory landscape, the FSAI has issued new guidance to food businesses following the implementation of stricter EU legal limits for Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat foods, effective from July 1, 2026. This aims to enhance public health protection, particularly for vulnerable populations. The new regulations necessitate more sensitive testing methods and robust safety management procedures, with the stricter limit applying throughout a product's shelf life. The FSAI has warned that this could lead to an increase in product recalls if businesses do not adequately manage the risk.
This development follows ongoing concerns regarding listeriosis. In 2025, the FSAI confirmed an adult death linked to a listeriosis outbreak that led to the precautionary recall of 141 ready-made products from major retailers. The FSAI's 2024 annual report also highlighted a rise in food incidents, recalls, and enforcement actions, with 796 incidents handled by the food incidents team, up from 733 in 2023. Nearly 500 of these were categorised as serious.
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UK Food Safety Incidents and COSHH Compliance
In the UK, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) reported a 14% increase in food and feed safety incidents during 2025–26, managing 2,073 incidents across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The complexity of these incidents is growing, driven by global supply chains and online marketplaces. Microbial contamination remains the most frequently reported hazard, with Salmonella accounting for half of all pathogen-related incidents (206 cases), followed by Listeria (92) and Escherichia coli (57).
Alongside food safety, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has reinforced its guidance on the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002, urging UK businesses to review and enhance their procedures for managing hazardous substances. This renewed focus is particularly relevant for the food industry, where cleaning agents, disinfectants, pest control chemicals, and even naturally occurring substances can pose significant health risks if not properly managed. Non-compliance with COSHH can lead to severe health issues for employees, including respiratory diseases, dermatitis, and cancer, as well as substantial fines and imprisonment for businesses.
The HSE's latest statistics highlight the ongoing challenge, with an estimated 1.9 million workers suffering from work-related ill health in 2024/25. Approximately 22,000 new cases of breathing or lung problems caused or worsened by work are estimated each year. The estimated annual cost of workplace injuries and new cases of work-related ill health reached £22.9 billion in 2023/24.
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