Many entrepreneurs in Europe are seriously considering starting cooperation with Polish wholesalers. There are many factors in favor of this: the variety of the offer and the high quality of the food products offered, practical forms of delivery and, above all, very competitive prices. Are you also interested in cooperation with a Polish partner, but are you wondering about the safety standards that apply in Poland? Do you want to know what safety standards must be met by Polish wholesalers and whether they meet European standards? We will briefly describe it.

Polish wholesalers and quality and safety standards

Poland, as a member of the European Union, is subject to unified European regulations on work standards and standardization. In addition, Polish entrepreneurs engaged in the wholesale distribution of food products are subject to national regulations that can be considered quite restrictive. They concern not only food safety itself, but also the safety of customers, employees, products and data protection.

The types of standards to which Polish wholesalers are subject can be divided into several categories:

  • Health and Safety Standards: Wholesalers must comply with health and safety requirements to ensure the safety of their employees. The regulations governing health and safety requirements include: Polish Labor Code, Occupational Health and Safety Act, regulations of the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy.
  • Product Safety Standards: Wholesalers must ensure that their products are safe for users. To this end, they are required to comply with product safety regulations, such as the European Union Product Safety Directives, the General Product Safety Act, as well as industry norms and standards.
  • Data protection standards: if a wholesaler processes the personal data of its customers, it must comply with the requirements of the GDPR and other provisions on the protection of personal data.
  • Environmental standards: wholesalers must comply with environmental protection requirements (e.g. PN-EN ISO 14001 standards) resulting from such legal provisions as the Waste Act, nature conservation acts, as well as industry norms and standards regarding environmental protection.
  • Quality standards: wholesalers must ensure that the products they offer meet quality requirements. For this purpose, they must comply with industry norms and standards regarding quality, such as: ISO, PN-EN, PN-ISO.

What standards must be observed by Polish food wholesalers in particular?

The list of regulations controlling the work of food wholesalers in Poland is long, and the individual requirements and standards are highlighted in detail. The meticulousness of regulations and procedures is intended to ensure (above all) the safety of food products, and thus protect the health and life of consumers. The most important quality and safety standards to be mentioned are:

  • HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points - a system of hazard analysis and key control points that helps prevent health risks resulting from the presence of undesirable substances in food products.
  • ISO 22000 - a food safety standard that defines the requirements for food safety management systems in food companies.
  • GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) - are good manufacturing practices that define requirements for food production processes, such as hygiene and cleanliness, to prevent contamination of food products.
  • Employee hygiene - in food wholesalers, employees must follow strict hygiene procedures, such as washing hands before entering the workplace or wearing appropriate work clothes.
  • Storage hygiene - food must be stored under the right conditions, such as temperature and humidity, to prevent spoilage and loss of quality.
  • Product labeling - food products must be labeled in accordance with the regulations, so that customers have full information about the composition, nutritional values and expiry dates.

Bodies controlling the work of Polish food wholesalers

In Poland, the activity of food wholesalers is controlled by several state institutions, which aim to ensure food safety for consumers, as well as to prevent unfair market practices or counteract unfair competition. Here are some of them:

  • The State Sanitary Inspection (GIS) - is a state institution responsible for supervising food quality, compliance with sanitary standards, and supervising the production, storage and distribution of food.
  • Trade Inspection - is an institution supervising compliance with trade regulations by entrepreneurs, including food wholesalers. The Trade Inspection inspects i.a. best-before dates, labeling and prices of products.
  • Agricultural and Food Quality Inspection (IJHARS) - is a state institution responsible for food quality and safety control. IJHARS controls e.g. quality and composition of food products, their packaging, best-before dates and compliance with legal requirements.
  • The Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) - is an institution supervising the observance of consumer rights and combating unfair market practices, such as unfair advertising, prohibited contractual clauses or unfair commercial practices.

As can be seen from the above, Polish wholesalers must comply with a number of quite restrictive and extensive regulations and standards. This translates into the high quality of both the services provided by Polish wholesalers and the food products themselves. Therefore, European entrepreneurs and retailers should not be afraid of potential cooperation with a Polish supplier. On the contrary: cooperation with a partner offering high quality services, products at attractive prices and fast delivery methods can quickly turn into a noticeable profit for your company.

 

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