Food Couriers Begin Street Inspections: What Has the Food Safety Authority Discovered?

The Food Safety Inspection Body has presented the first results of the monitoring measures implemented in the food delivery sector. Anush Harutyunyan, head of the division for public awareness, consulting, and community outreach at the Food Safety Authority (FSA), informed Sputnik Armenia that at least 10% of the 2,000-3,000 registered food couriers in Armenia possess sanitary certificates. This data is based on information provided by delivery services and the results of FSA inspections.

Months ago, the inspection body had announced an increase in controls and stated that inspections would begin on March 1. Businesses requested additional time to comply with the legal requirements, noting that the number of couriers reached up to 2-3 thousand, and additional time was needed to organize their medical examinations. On August 1, when the additional deadline given by the FSA expired, inspectors started conducting visits and have already checked about 10% of the specified couriers.

According to Harutyunyan, during the first 10 days of August, approximately 237 couriers were inspected, almost all of whom had certificates, while those without were found to be engaged in non-food deliveries. She noted that no courier engaged in food delivery without a certificate was discovered at that time, indicating that delivery platforms have addressed the issue.

Despite the satisfactory results, the FSA promises to continue strict monitoring. Harutyunyan assured that inspectors will patrol the streets of Yerevan and various parts of the republic to assess the level of resolution of the delivery issue.

Inspections will primarily be conducted outdoors, focusing on the delivery chain. The inspection body considers visiting companies engaged in delivery as ineffective because they are platforms where individuals register as couriers, receive orders, and obtain bags and boxes. Under the new regulations, platforms will no longer register couriers who do not present a medical certificate at the time of registration. The previous absence of such a requirement raised public concerns about food safety and potential infections.

A representative from the inspection body clarified that they monitor the platform to see if a given courier is registered as a food transporter or not. Food couriers automatically enter the control field, and the inspector checks for the presence of a medical certificate and whether the individual has undergone a medical examination. The law requires that a medical examination be conducted every six months.

Medical examinations for foreign couriers are guaranteed by RA legislation, provided they have the right to stay. Large platforms providing delivery services have announced that they are now assisting their partners in obtaining medical examinations and certificates for the first time. The ongoing obligation to comply with the legal requirements falls on the couriers’ responsibility, as the individual bears the responsibility.

The Administrative Code of the Republic of Armenia stipulates a fine ranging from 40,000 to 50,000 AMD for not possessing a sanitary certificate or failing to undergo mandatory medical examination, and for repeating the same violation, the fine amounts to 80,000 to 100,000 AMD.