Consumer complaints to FSAI Advice Line increase in 2025

A total of 9,882 complaints and queries were handled by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland’s (FSAI) Advice Line in 2025.

Announcing details today of the complaints and queries last year, the FSAI stated that there were 6,135 complaints from consumers, with 33% of complaints relating to unfit food and 28% to poor hygiene standards.

Overall, the 6,135 consumer complaints in 2025 represented a 23% increase compared to the previous year with 4,996 complaints.

The figures reflect an upward trend over the past decade. All complaints received by the FSAI in 2025 were followed up and investigated by food inspectors throughout the country.

Unfit food, which is food that is not safe to eat, was the most frequently reported complaint in 2025.

Unfit food also includes contamination with a foreign object. Commonly reported foreign objects in food included: plastic, a battery, insects/caterpillar, slug, and fingernail.

Examples of some of the complaints include: a fingernail found in a cake; a staple found in an Indian meal; a battery found in a pack of almonds; a fly floating in a milk bottle; a slug in a noodle dish and a live moth in a bag of salad.

The second most frequently reported category related to poor hygiene standards.

Common complaints included rodents spotted in food businesses; staff not wearing appropriate clothing; poor personal hygiene with staff not changing gloves often enough; staff not washing hands; staff smoking in their aprons; and food not being stored correctly with fridges and freezers not cold enough.

The third most frequently reported category related to reports of suspected food poisoning making up 26% of the total complaints in 2025. This was a decrease from 29% in 2024.

The breakdown of all complaints are as follows:

Greg Dempsey, Chief Executive, FSAI, stressed the importance of making complaints to the FSAI, so that any food safety issues can be addressed.

“Public reporting of food safety concerns plays a vital role in supporting the work of the food safety inspectorate and is an important part of how we protect public health.

“We greatly value the contribution of consumers in bringing potential issues to our attention, as these reports provide essential information that complements the work of Environmental Health Officers, veterinary and agricultural inspectors, sea-fisheries officers, and laboratory services.”

“While routine inspections and food sampling programmes remain a core part of our regulatory activity, complaints allow us to quickly identify and respond to specific risks, ensuring that any potential threats to food safety are addressed without delay.

“The continued increase in engagement reflects growing consumer awareness and confidence in reporting issues, as well as a strong expectation that high standards of food safety and hygiene are consistently maintained across the food chain.

“In particular, we have seen a significant rise in complaints relating to unfit food and poor hygiene standards, and we would like to thank the public for their continued vigilance in helping us address these issues.”