Berlin food inspections reveal significant increase in violations

A report from the Berlin Senate Department for Justice and Consumer Protection reveals a sharp rise in food safety violations within the city. In 2025, authorities identified 16,982 violations across 17,251 inspected businesses, marking a 28 percent increase from the 13,309 violations recorded the previous year.

Approximately 30 percent of the inspected establishments—5,133 businesses—were found to be in breach of regulations. While the total number of inspections rose by 6.2 percent to 28,885, the overall rate of non-compliance remained relatively stable compared to the prior year.

The report does not specify the nature of the infractions, such as whether they involve hygiene deficiencies, labeling errors, or other regulatory failures. Officials noted that inspections are conducted on a risk-oriented basis, prioritizing businesses with higher perceived health risks or those following consumer complaints. Consequently, the findings may not represent the status of all 62,300 registered food businesses in Berlin.