Ireland's safety authority reports surge in complaints and new Listeria guidance

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) recorded 9,882 consumer complaints and queries in 2025, a 23% rise on the previous year. Unfit food and poor hygiene were the most common issues, with reports of foreign objects such as plastic, batteries and insects, as well as observations of rodents and staff hygiene lapses.

On 1 July 2026 the EU introduced stricter limits for Listeria monocytogenes in ready‑to‑eat foods. The FSAI issued new guidance urging food businesses to adopt more sensitive testing and robust controls to meet the lower threshold. The agency warned that the tighter rules could lead to more product recalls and consumer alerts if firms fail to manage the Listeria risk effectively.