Social enterprise Agape Garden penalised over alleged food-labelling violation, laments difficult year-end
社企膳心小館被指違反食物標籤遭扣分 嘆年關難過
In recent years, many restaurants have sold packaged food in addition to providing dine-in services. Such food is regulated by the Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) Regulations. Social enterprise Agape Garden, which mainly employs people from disadvantaged groups, has consequently fallen foul of the rules. It was accused of violating the relevant labelling legislation when selling prepackaged food last August, and was informed by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department before the New Year that points would be deducted. The owner lamented that “when it rains, it pours” and criticised the department’s practice of notifying them by posting a notice outside the premises as furtive. InMediaHK contacted the department for comment, but had not received a reply by the time of publication.
近年不少餐廳除提供堂食外，亦會出售包裝食品，不過相關食物受《食物及藥物（成分組合及標籤）規例》規管。主要聘用弱勢社群的社企膳心小館因而中招，他們被指去年8月售賣的預先包裝食品違反相關標籤法例，至過年前被食環告知將被「扣分」。老闆向嘆「屋漏兼逢連夜雨」，又批評署方僅在門外張貼通告通知的做法鬼崇。《獨媒》就此向食環署查詢，至截稿未獲回覆。