The NSW Name and Shame Register

The NSW Food Authority maintains a list showing the food businesses across that state that have had breaches of the Food Standards code. It is called the Name and Shame Register and is updated regularly.

There are currently over 1300 food businesses shown on the Register.

No other Australian State or Territory currently has such a tool to help monitor and maintain food safety.

The intent is that the public can look up for themselves to see if a business they wish to visit is on the Register and can then decide whether to go or not.

The belief is that instead of imposing huge fines / penalties for breaches of the Code, the Name and Shame Register makes those non compliances very public, which is likely to affect sales. Businesses can use the money from the reduced penalties to address the identified issues.

Businesses do not stay on the Register permanently and can be removed from it once the issues have been addressed and the Authority considers that they are complying as required.

This week, 34 businesses were added to the Register and 17 were removed. Here is the link for the current Register – http://owl.li/Jap59

Would this idea be worth doing across all states and territories or will it remain as yet another of the differences between the jurisdictions.

Written by Rachelle Williams, The Green Food Safety Coach.