Switzerland: food inspections

In Switzerland the app follows the federal Food Act (LMG) and the hygiene ordinance (HyV) and the GVG restaurant guide approved by the BLV; the cantons inspect, and there is no national rating.

Inspection body

Cantonal food control (Kantonschemiker/in, Kantonales Laboratorium), supervised by the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (BLV)

The 26 cantons inspect. Each has a cantonal chemist (Kantonschemiker/in) with food inspectors. The federal office BLV supervises the cantons and approves sector guides, but it does not inspect restaurants. The same federal rules apply in every canton.

Controls are risk-based and unannounced. A restaurant with its own kitchen gets a basic control at least every 2 years. After a visit the inspector gives a written result and can order repairs, ban rooms, equipment or a process, or close the business at once if health is in serious danger. Fees apply only after a formal finding (Beanstandung), a repeat fault or a follow-up visit, at most CHF 4,000 per inspection. Fines can reach CHF 40,000. You can object within 10 days (Einsprache) and appeal within 30 days (Beschwerde).

Hygiene rating

There is no national rating. Control reports and risk classes are not public (LMG Art. 24). Only canton Zug has an official quality certificate («sehr gut», «gut», «genügend», «ungenügend»), and showing it is voluntary.