New rules have been introduced regulating Hong Kong online food retailers.
The Food & Environmental Hygiene Department has introduced a new set of licensing conditions for selling restricted foods via the internet or social media platforms, to safeguard food safety.
Secretary for Food & Health Dr Ko Wing-man told legislators the move is to regulate operators without physical premises.
Licensing conditions mainly require that restricted foods be obtained from lawful sources and not be tampered with during transportation to prevent cross-contamination, and that the products be stored at a safe and proper temperature at all times.
Operators should disclose on their websites information about their permits, such as permit numbers, registered business addresses and the categories of restricted foods they are permitted to sell, for reference by consumers.
Ko said the department received 142 applications for permits up to April 25, while 30 permits have been issued and 79 applications are being processed.
The department issued 10 warnings and instituted two prosecutions for operating an unlicensed food business or selling restricted foods online without permission during the period.
The new regulations were flagged by Ko late last year, as reported by Inside Retail Hong Kong, and have now taken effect.