【Guangxi】Liuzhou City Market Supervision Administration Releases Typical Cases of Food Safety in Online Catering (First Batch)

Originally from: Liuzhou Market Regulation

To further strengthen food safety enforcement for online catering services, and to ensure that the rules requiring online catering service operators to implement food safety responsibilities are effectively implemented, the Liuzhou municipal market regulation authorities have continued to intensify oversight and supervision of food safety in online catering, and have severely cracked down on all kinds of illegal and noncompliant conduct. The first batch of typical cases is now released to provide warning and deterrence, guide in a standardized manner, and effectively safeguard the public’s “safety of food on the tip of the tongue.”

Liubei District Market Regulation Bureau investigated a hot pot restaurant for conducting online catering service activities without obtaining a food business license in accordance with law

Case summary:

In August 2025, the Liubei District Market Regulation Bureau conducted supervision and inspection of offline merchants on an online food delivery platform, and found that in the jurisdiction, a certain hot pot restaurant was engaged in catering service business activities without having obtained food business permission in accordance with law. The above conduct by the party concerned violated relevant provisions of the Food Safety Law of the People’s Republic of China. The Liubei District Market Regulation Bureau, in accordance with law, ordered the party concerned to correct the illegal conduct, and imposed administrative penalties including confiscation of illegal gains and a fine.

Typical significance:

Catering business operators and practitioners should strictly comply with laws and regulations, and may engage in business only after obtaining the required permits in accordance with law. The party concerned carried out catering services without obtaining a Food Business License, creating significant food safety risks. Given the characteristics of online catering, food delivery platforms should strictly review the qualifications of merchants when they join the platform to ensure their licenses and documents are complete. Consumers should also pay attention to checking the license information publicized by merchants when ordering food online, to avoid purchasing food from unlicensed merchants.

Chengzhong District Market Regulation Bureau investigated a catering shop for engaging in online catering service activities beyond its permitted scope

Case summary:

In November 2025, based on reports from members of the public, the Chengzhong District Market Regulation Bureau conducted supervision and inspection of the catering shop of a certain online catering service provider within its jurisdiction. It was found that the shop had not obtained permits for the production and sale of raw (fresh) food, yet it produced and sold raw (fresh) food such as “salmon sashimi.” The above conduct by the party concerned violated relevant provisions of the Food Safety Law of the People’s Republic of China and the Measures for the Administration of Food Business Licensing and Record Filing. In February 2026, the Chengzhong District Market Regulation Bureau, in accordance with law, ordered the party concerned to stop the illegal conduct, and imposed an administrative penalty of a fine.

Typical significance:

Food delivery platforms and food business operators who join the platform should be responsible for food safety in online food. The party concerned engaged in operations beyond scope without obtaining permits for the production and sale of raw (fresh) food. If the food delivery platform does not strictly review the qualification and permit scope of operators joining the platform, it will lead to food safety risks. Online catering business operators must strictly conduct business activities within the scope of their permits; the platform should strengthen qualification verification and routine inspections. If consumers discover operations beyond scope, they can promptly report it, and together maintain food safety for online catering.

Yufeng District Market Regulation Bureau investigated a certain online catering service provider for conducting online catering service activities using fabricated food business licenses

Case summary:

In October 2025, the Yufeng District Market Regulation Bureau received reports from members of the public and conducted on-site verification of the business premises of a certain online catering service provider within its jurisdiction. It found that the food business license provided on-site was a forged document, and that the provider was conducting catering service activities without obtaining a small catering registration certificate. It also arranged personnel who had not obtained health certificates to engage in work involving direct contact with ready-to-eat food. The above conduct by the party concerned violated relevant provisions of the Measures for the Administration of Food Business Licensing and Record Filing, the Regulations on the Administration of Food Micro-Workshops, Small Catering Businesses, and Food Stalls in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and the Food Safety Law of the People’s Republic of China. In March 2026, the Yufeng District Market Regulation Bureau, in accordance with law, ordered the party concerned to immediately correct the illegal conduct, and imposed administrative penalties including a warning and a fine.

Typical significance:

In the field of online catering, qualification fraud seriously disrupts market order, and is also often accompanied by food safety hazards such as failure to meet physical operating conditions. Operators must obtain food business licenses in accordance with law, truthfully publicize qualification information, and ensure continued compliance with food safety requirements. The virtual nature of online catering can easily become a breeding ground for fraud. Platforms should establish a normalized inspection mechanism, regularly compare the qualifications uploaded by merchants with data from regulatory authorities, apply “zero tolerance” to forged-document conduct, and effectively maintain a fair competitive market environment and consumers’ lawful rights and interests.

Luzhai County Market Regulation Bureau investigated a certain online catering service provider for using food ingredients beyond their shelf life

Case summary:

In January 2025, the Luzhai County Market Regulation Bureau conducted an on-site supervision inspection of the business premises of a certain online catering service provider within its jurisdiction. It found that multiple kinds of food ingredients used by the provider were beyond their shelf life. The above conduct by the party concerned violated the Regulations on the Administration of Food Micro-Workshops, Small Catering Businesses, and Food Stalls in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and constitutes an illegal act of processing food using food ingredients with expired shelf life. The Luzhai County Market Regulation Bureau, in accordance with law, ordered the party concerned to immediately correct the illegal conduct, supervised the destruction or harmless disposal of the involved expired food ingredient materials, and imposed an administrative penalty of a fine.

Typical significance:

Processing foods using ingredients beyond their shelf life seriously threatens consumers’ physical health and is a key target for food safety regulatory crackdowns. Catering service business operators, especially online catering providers, must strictly implement systems such as checking and verifying food ingredient purchases, storage management, and ledger record-keeping. They should regularly clear out inventory food and strictly prohibit the use of expired-ingredient processed foods. Market regulation authorities will continue to intensify on-site inspections of online catering service providers, urge merchants to consciously fulfill their primary responsibilities, actively participate in “internet + bright kitchens and dining halls + AI,” and proactively accept social supervision. Food delivery platforms should, through methods such as offline spot checks and consumer rating feedback, promptly identify and handle merchants using expired ingredients, thereby forming a regulatory force with coordinated oversight across both online and offline channels.

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