The Food Safety Level in the European Union Underpinned by the Performance of the Private Companies

Background: Monitoring food safety in the supply chain has been a priority of European consumer protection policies. In this context, over the last two decades, there has been a significant increase in notifications to the RASFF by private companies. Objectives: This study provides new insights by demonstrating that implementing private standards, such as GlobalGAP, is associated not only with increased notifications but also with reduced food safety issues when certifications are widespread. Approach: Thus, the effect of improvements in companies’ actions, specifically the concrete application of the Global GAP protocol, on the number of notifications reported to the RASFF has been quantified through a multivariate panel-data analysis across 18 European countries. Results: The results highlight that while private standards improve detection, they also reduce risks, and that producer, trading company, and retail business management is indeed highly relevant to the effectiveness of the RASFF, as well as the fact that enterprises have become a leading actor in maintaining food safety. Conclusions: These findings underscore the importance of integrating private initiatives into public food safety policies. Specifically, the European Administration should incentivize the adoption of certification and enhance public-private collaboration to maximize food safety outcomes.