Food Standards Office of the Velocity Interoperability Network Established

The Food Standards Office of the Velocity Interoperability Network has been formally established. The Office is responsible for food safety across the Network: it sets the hygiene and labelling standards that food businesses must meet, inspects those businesses, maintains the register of food businesses, and issues alerts and coordinates recalls when food is found to be unsafe.

With its establishment complete, the Office today launches its official website at food.gov.vin. The site carries the food safety and labelling rules in force, guidance on registration and inspection, the register of food alerts and recalls, and the Office's statistical releases. Press releases and official statements will be published in the Newsroom.

The opening of the register of food businesses, the inspection programme beginning on 14 September 2026 and the labelling rules taking effect on 1 December 2026 are the subject of separate announcements published today. During the transition period from 10 August to 5 September 2026, 1,284 food businesses were registered under interim arrangements and 218 inspections were carried out. General enquiries may be sent to contact@food.gov.vin.