Food inspectors are concerned that businesses might turn off their fridges in a bid to save money on energy bills. The Shared Regulatory Service (SRS), which provides regulatory services for Cardiff Council, Vale of Glamorgan Council and Bridgend County Borough Council, raised their fears at a meeting on Tuesday, September 27.
With the cost of living crisis putting households and businesses across the country under huge financial pressure, the SRS said they are receiving intelligence that turning off fridges will be a way that some establishments might look to save money. Speaking at the meeting on Tuesday, operational manager for commercial services at the SRS, Christina Hill, said the prospect is a "real worry" and that the consequences could pose a "serious risk to the consumer".
She said: "We are very much heightened at the moment on what we could face... officers need to be very aware. We are anticipating a rise in enforcement." Figures revealed at the meeting also showed that the SRS was a long way off its targets for carrying out food inspections at a number of businesses for the first few months of 2022.
