Food couriers must carry health records from Aug 1

PanARMENIAN.Net - Starting August 1, food delivery workers in Armenia will be required to possess a valid sanitary (medical) booklet, while the Food Safety Inspectorate will begin full-scale oversight of businesses engaged in food delivery.

The Food Safety Inspectorate said that at the beginning of the year, in response to growing demand for food delivery services and numerous complaints and reports from citizens, it warned delivery companies that it would launch comprehensive inspections in the sector.

The Inspectorate clarified that delivery workers who have not undergone mandatory initial and periodic medical examinations or do not possess a sanitary (medical) booklet will be subject to administrative liability. It also stressed that employers are responsible for ensuring that employees who have direct contact with food during its production and circulation undergo medical examinations in accordance with Armenian legislation.

During a meeting between the Food Safety Inspectorate and partner delivery companies, the companies requested additional time to complete the medical examinations and obtain sanitary (medical) booklets for approximately 2,000 to 3,000 delivery workers.

The Inspectorate said it accommodated the request and set a reasonable deadline.

It also noted that the process will include the publication not only of identified violations but also of the names of partner companies that have fully complied with the legal requirements.

Personnel involved at any stage of the food chain—including production, processing, distribution, storage, transportation, import, export, and sale—must undergo an initial medical examination before starting work, followed by periodic medical examinations every six months, and must possess a personal sanitary (medical) booklet.