New Operational Standards for Food Delivery Services Featured

Sep 27 2017 Be the first to comment!
Rate this item
(7 votes)

The Foodservice Network is working with the British Standards Institution (or BSI), the national standards body of the United Kingdom, to develop a new publicly available specification BSI (PAS) related to hot food/ambient food delivery services.

The standard is being sponsored by the Foodservice Network and aims to provide Specifications and a Code of Practice for the operation of hot food/ambient food delivery services. The Foodservice Network believes that this is the best way to provide consumers with peace of mind regarding the delivery of hot food and/or ambient food products by food delivery service providers whilst improving the overall convenience and efficiency of the delivery service operation. With rapid global expansion of this new market now underway, it is felt that a new business standard will help facilitate the safe and successful expansion of the global market.

Why are new Operational Standards needed for Food Delivery Services?

The specification is to be developed in response to the demand for hot food courier services in urban centres which have rapidly increased as a result of changes in eating habits across the major cities of the world. With a dramatic increase in the delivery of hot food products to consumers at home and at work, there has also been an upsurge in customer complaints about mistaken orders, incorrect or unknown ingredients, incorrect temperature and compromised packaging amongst others. With market growth set to continue, it is time for innovators in the food service sector to come together and establish a standard for the management and enlargement of these type of delivery services.  

Richard Taylor, Standards Market Development Director at BSI stated:

Having a specification in place will not only help improve the quality in these services (especially as the number of new entrants to the market increases) and improve standards, but also raise the reputation of the organisations that follow the guidance.

Mark McGlinn, Founding Director of The Foodservice Network commented: “The new food delivery service providers are having a dramatic impact across the full food service sector. While there is potentially a huge benefit for consumers and restaurants alike, the rigour of preparation and knowledge of processes to manage the risks of food service operations has not always been applied. Many of the food delivery companies entering this market do not consider themselves to be full food service operators and this judgement is what has led to many of the issues we are seeing."

"Any company managing the delivery of food product to consumers must be fully aware of the health & safety and legal requirements of managing the production and delivery of food product to consumers. Food is a complex business and dangers arise when this is not sufficiently acknowledged. This is what has happened in the new food delivery service sector.  The development of a standard (Specification and Code of Practice) that all food service delivery companies can refer to and take guidance from is the best way of solving the various issues we are seeing and of securing for the public, a safe delivery process that they can have confidence in."

"While the food delivery service has grown rapidly as eating habits have changed, particularly in the urban centres, there is as yet no global standard set for the management of food delivery services. Against such a backdrop, we believe that a new PAS can secure the future of the sector and contribute to its further enlargement by providing clear guidance on the requirements for a safe, efficient and quality food delivery service that is good for consumers and service providers alike.”

Why will the new BSI (PAS) for Food Delivery Services cover?

• Transportation of hot food and ambient parcels in temperature-controlled and non-temperature controlled vehicles (land) via GPS and other logistical systems

• Operational Performance Requirements for equipment, packaging and communications 

• Health & Safety Requirements for production and management of Ambient and Hot Food Product intended for delivery

• Health & Safety Requirements for Ambient and Hot Food Product Delivery operations referencing current UK and EU Health & Safety legislation

The PAS is expected to publish in January 2019 and will be developed using a collaborative consensus-based approach involving organisations from within the full food supply chain (food production, food retail, food delivery, food safety regulators, food management systems specialists), amongst others.  

If you would like to know more about the development of this BSI (PAS) or would like to participate in its development, please Contact Us

 

 
Read 5422 times Last modified on Sep 27 2017

Senior Research Director, Foodservice Network