Making complaints about food quality, food safety and business activities
You can lodge a complaint with the Economic and Food Safety Authority (ASAE) if you identify anything that compromises food quality and safety.
Service channels
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Report online
No queues
Free of charge
Any time
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Report on location
In person
Free
At ASAE Regional Units
Who can make complaints related to food quality and safety?
What documents are needed and what are the requirements for complaining about food quality and safety and business activities?
To make a complaint, you must:
- identify the establishment you want to report (registered business operator);
- indicate the name of the establishment you are reporting and the place where the incident occurred (address and/or other reference points);
- set out the facts relating to the incident.
If you wish, you can include witnesses and provide their contact details (name, address, telephone and email). The ASAE may contact these witnesses.
How can I make a complaint about food quality and safety?
Complaints about quality and food safety can be made:
- on the ASAE website, using the electronic complaint form;
- by email asae@asae.pt;
- in person, at one of the ASAE regional units.
If you choose to make a complaint via the ASAE website, you can identify yourself as the complainant using your name, address, phone number and email, but you can also choose to make an anonymous complaint. If you do not identify yourself, you will not receive any updates on the status of your complaint.
How long does the ASAE take to respond?
When the ASAE receives a complaint, the inspection services will investigate the incident and, where appropriate, take the necessary precautionary measures and start the relevant procedure.
In situations considered to be serious, action is taken immediately. In all other cases, the response time will depend on the availability of the department.
The person who lodged the complaint will be informed about the outcome of the procedure, if they gave their identification details.
If the complaint made does not fall within the remit of the ASAE, it will be forwarded to the relevant body.