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HOTREC ‘MEAL-SHARING’ PLATFORM POLICY PAPER – MAY 2018
Five Key Pillars to
Fostering a Responsible
And Fair ‘Collaborative’
Economy in the Home
Restaurant Sector
05
Until now, the assumption has prevailed that since home restaurants
exist on a small scale and are concurrent with regular domestic
cooking activity. Yet this is not the case; fundamentally, there is
an important difference between cooking for family, friends or
neighbours, and cooking for strangers for a profit.
As the voice of the European hospitality industry, HOTREC aspires to
see the principles of fair competition justly applied across a range
of policy areas relating to the supply of food and beverages.
However the need for fair competition is not the only motivation
for putting forward this policy document.
The reason for this is that there are vital questions of public health
and safety at stake. It is also important to bear in mind that other
factors such as state revenues, adequate infrastructure, peaceful
coexistence of businesses and local residents and cohabitation
between citizens, especially in densely populated areas. These,
as well as consumers’ rights also shape the sustainability of
tourism development, and home restaurant hosts have a role to
play in all of these areas.
FOCUS ON
FOOD SAFETY
Food safety is largely regulated by EU legislation, although guidance may vary slightly according to local conditions. There are a number of
basic standards that those preparing and serving food to consumers on a regular basis are required to meet, and which includes HACCP
(Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) procedures, traceability requirements, food information, acrylamide management, etc.
Home restaurants that qualify as food business operators under EU law shall strictly respect these requirements. Home restaurants that do
not qualify as food business operator due to a very limited and irregular activity shall at least pay attention to the basic features of HACCP
(e.g. condition of non-food contact surfaces such as floors, walls, ceiling; condition of food contact surfaces such as worktops or cutting
boards; condition and cleaning of equipment and utensils; adequate food storage and refrigeration; prevention of food contamination, etc).