Restaurants in Aberdeenshire are warned about consultants using pressure tactics and false claims of council affiliation.
They use pushy sales to get you to agree. These contracts can cost about £200 monthly. Food Standards Scotland is also aware of the issue.
Businesses felt pressured to buy unneeded services before. These consultants use tricky and scary tactics. Paul Macari spoke about this issue. He said these tactics are awful for food businesses.
He stressed no one face pressure or get tricked like this. Council officers visit businesses regularly. They give free help and advice easily. Macari suggests contacting the team with concerns.
How can you protect your business, though? Council officers don’t issue fines during inspections. Instead, they offer guidance and time to fix issues.
The Environmental Health Service gives free advice. Contact the Environmental Health Service before hiring consultants. You can email them at environmental@aberdeenshire.gov.uk.
The council doesn’t usually work with private consultants. Always check IDs if some claims a council link. All officers have council IDs. They will use “@aberdeenshire.gov.uk” email addresses. Report deceptive behavior to the council and police.