- Hon Andrew Hoggard
The Government is proposing changes to make it easier for food businesses to meet their food safety obligations, with less paperwork and a sharper focus on the risks that matter, Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard says.
Consultation opened today on an updated Simply Safe & Suitable food control plan template. This is New Zealand's main food control template: a pre-approved, plain-language checklist that tells businesses what steps to follow and what records to keep so their food stays safe.
"Businesses have told us they want rules that are easy to understand, simple to apply and focused on outcomes.
"These proposals cut unnecessary complexity, give clearer guidance on managing risk and reduce duplication, so businesses can get on with getting good, safe food to their customers."
The proposed changes include:
- less testing and record-keeping
- a modular template that food businesses can tailor to their own operation
- less repetition across the plan
- clearer links between hazards, monitoring, record keeping and corrective actions
- a clearer reflection of businesses' responsibilities under the Food Act
- simpler, more business-friendly language.
"This is the latest in a run of common-sense changes to cut red tape for food businesses."
Recent changes include:
- free online Food Safety Basics training, with modules 1 to 3 now on the MPI website
- allowing hospitality businesses that make pre-cooked chilled and frozen meals to operate under a Simply Safe & Suitable plan
- clearer guidance so verification rules are applied consistently to businesses with multiple sites
- new rules so exporters whose products meet the importing country's requirements no longer need special exemptions from New Zealand rules
- reduced sampling and testing for small-scale meat processors, while keeping food safety standards high
- removing ongoing verification and revising registration requirements for home-based cake makers and decorators.
"Registration is next. Officials are working on replacing periodic renewals with ongoing registration for some businesses, and I expect that to be in place by the middle of next year."
Consultation runs until 15 November 2026. More information is available on the MPI website: Food safety consultations.
