The Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC) received a record number of complaints last year. Figures were up 20 per cent in comparison with 2024. Complaints mainly come from consumers who have concerns about hygiene or certain storage methods, or who believe they have fallen ill after eating certain foods. ‘Food safety is becoming increasingly important to consumers,’ says Hélène Bonte of the FASFC.
The FASFC received a total of 6,268 consumer complaints last year.
‘We don’t have a clear-cut reason for this rise,’ says spokesperson Hélène Bonte. ‘Nor was there a single major food incident in 2025. We suspect that food safety is simply becoming increasingly important to consumers and that they are also turning to us more often to lodge complaints.’
These complaints are important for the FASFC to be able to do its job. ‘We carry out a great many inspections but cannot be everywhere. We take every complaint seriously and will investigate it.’
Problem of Mice
There are three main reasons why people lodge complaints with the FASFC. The biggest concerns the general hygiene of food establishments or shops, accounting for 31 per cent of all complaints. 25 per cent come from people who believe they have fallen ill after eating certain foods. Complaints about storage methods (for example, temperatures not being maintained or use-by dates) account for a further 18 per cent.
‘One of those complaints, for example, came from a couple who had gone out for a meal at a restaurant,’ recalls Bonte. ‘As soon as they walked in, they saw a cat. They didn’t think that was too hygienic.”
‘During their meal, they were also visited by a mouse under their table. When they mentioned this to the waitress, she said they were aware of the mice problem. That’s why the cat was there, she replied.’
‘Fortunately, we don’t receive complaints like that every day. However, daily we receive descriptions of symptoms, with people telling us what they’ve eaten or in which shop they bought expired products.’
Photos of a toilet bowl
‘Sometimes people describe their symptoms hour by hour. This often allows us to determine whether it might be a foodborne infection or not. We then investigate. We also sometimes ask them if there are any leftovers so that we can analyse them in the lab.’
Descriptions can be very graphic. ‘Let’s just say that our staff often receive explicit photos, for example of what happened in the toilet bowl after a dinner party. But we sometimes receive unusual items in the post too, like a slice of salami on one occasion.’
To be clear: a slice of salami that has been in the post for two days is of no use to the Food Agency. ‘It’s better to tell us if there are any leftovers. Then our inspectors can collect them and take them to the lab with the utmost care.’
In just over half the cases, measures are also taken following a complaint. ‘We investigate virtually all complaints on site. In half of cases, we actually confirm what the consumer has reported,’ says Bonte.
On top of that, there is a further 5 per cent when inspectors find something else.