The State Administration for Market Regulation Holds Administrative Guidance Meeting for Large Food Retail Chain Enterprises

On February 6th, the State Administration for Market Regulation held an administrative guidance meeting in Beijing for large-scale food retail chain companies. The purpose was to urge companies to strictly fulfill their main responsibilities, strengthen food sales safety management, and effectively ensure food safety. The meeting pointed out that food retail chain companies cover wide regions, sell a variety of food products, handle large transaction volumes, and have a significant brand influence. They play an active role in ensuring food supply, facilitating consumer convenience, and promoting economic development. However, in practice, issues such as inadequate management responsibilities, insufficient risk prevention across the entire supply chain, and inadequate training and assessment of staff have been identified. The meeting required that food retail chain companies strengthen their awareness of laws, risks, and responsibilities. They should establish and implement daily management, weekly inspections, and monthly scheduling systems and mechanisms covering food safety risks at headquarters, branches, and stores. Companies should develop a “Food Safety Risk Control Checklist” based on actual conditions, and enhance risk management throughout procurement, storage, sales, and distribution processes. They should also improve staff training, assessment, and health management to continuously raise food safety awareness and professional skills. Additionally, companies should establish and improve food safety complaint handling mechanisms to properly resolve consumer disputes. The meeting emphasized that food retail chain companies must strictly fulfill their primary responsibilities for food safety and effectively prevent food safety risks. Relevant food industry associations should strengthen industry self-discipline, promote integrity system construction, and supervise chain companies to operate legally and compliantly. Market regulation authorities should intensify supervision and law enforcement, strictly investigate illegal and violations, and safeguard consumers’ legal rights and interests, working together to ensure food safety during holiday periods. (State Administration for Market Regulation)