The Administrative Measures for the Food Safety Supervision of Online Catering Services (the “Measures”) were promulgated by the State Food and Drug Administration (“SFDA”) and came into implementation on January 1st, 2018. According to the Measures, online catering service providers should have offline physical shops and obtain a license for food business in accordance with the law and shall not operate beyond the scope.

The Measures provide that the quality and safety of food sold though online catering services must be consistent with the quality of food sold in offline shops. When a food and drug administration bureau above the county level discovers that an online catering service provider has committed serious illegal conduct, the administration must order the third-party trading platform provider to immediately stop providing online trading platform services for the illegal catering service provider.

Moreover, third-party online catering service trading platform providers are required to establish food safety procedures; establish a special food safety management department; establish a full-time food safety manager(s); review, register and publish license information for online catering service providers; faithfully record online orders; conduct random inspections; and continue monitoring the operational activities of online catering service providers. The Measures also impose requirements on food couriers and the courier process, i.e. couriers must maintain personal hygiene, use safe and harmless food containers and prevent food contamination.

(Source: pkulaw.cn)