PUBLIC MARKETS ġ S.L.231.04 1
SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 231.04
PUBLIC MARKETS REGULATIONS
1st May, 1978
LEGAL NOTICE 141 of 1975, as amended by Legal Notice 20 of 1977.
Title .
Regulations.
2. In these Regulations - 
"fish market" includes any place where two or more stalls are
grouped together whether within a building or otherwise, for the
exclusive purpose of selling raw fish or other raw sea food by
retail;
"market" and "public market" mean any market properly so
called where stalls are grouped together, whether within a building
or otherwise, for the purpose of selling food, and include any fish
market, but do not include -
S.L. 117.20
( a ) any agricultural marketing centre falling under the
Agricultural Marketing Centres Regulations, or any
regulations substituting them; or
( b ) any market where the whole food business therein is
carried out by any one person licensed for the purpose;
S.L. 231.02
"open food" has the same meaning as is assigned to it in of the
Food Hygiene Regulations; 
"to sell" includes to offer, expose or advertise for sale and to
supply by way of compensation or otherwise.
Hours of opening.
during such hours as the Commissioner of Police may fix from time
to time, either generally or specifically for any particular market:
Provided that the Sanitary Authority may prohibit the
introduction of food into a market during certain hours specified by
him:
Provided further that the said Commissioner may, whenever
he deems it necessary in the public interest, suspend business in,
and where applicable close, any market.
Type of food to be 
sold.
4. The Sanitary Authority shall determine the type of food
which may be sold in each section of the market and each stall may
only be used for the sale of the type of food as so determined.
Equipment at 
stalls.
5. (1) The stalls shall be provided with such equipment
necessary for the trade carried out therein or thereat as may from
time to time be required by the Sanitary Authority.
(2) Whenever open food other than meat, raw fish or other raw
sea food, is sold, this shall be kept under a suitable cover made of
glass or other similar material to the satisfaction of the Sanitary
Authority and such cover shall extend to the front, top and lateral
2 ġ S.L.231.04 PUBLIC MARKETS
sides of the place where the open food is kept.
(3) No person other than a stallkeeper or his employee shall
remain inside the stall, or behind the stall, as the case may be, at
any time.
Wearing of overall, 
etc.
6. (1) Stallkeepers, any person employed by them or by the
relative licensee, and any other person who, on the direction of the
stallkeeper or of the relative licensee, is engaged or otherwise
occupied in the trade being carried on in any stall, shall, while so
engaged or occupied, wear to the satisfaction of the Sanitary
Authority a clean and washable overall of a white material and,
when in the opinion of the said Authority a head cover is necessary,
a clean and washable head cover of the same colour:
Provided that the Sanitary Authority may, in any particular
case, authorise in writing any person to wear a clean and washable
apron to the satisfaction of such Authority instead of the said over
all.
(2) None of the persons referred to in sub-regulation (1) shall,
during closing hours, remain inside the market without the
permission of the Sanitary Authority.
Cleanliness of 
stalls.
7. (1) Stallkeepers shall clear their stalls and cellars
whenever ordered to do so by the Sanitary Authority for the general
cleansing of the market or for any other purpose:
Provided that this provision shall not exempt stallkeepers
from the obligation of maintaining their stalls and cellars and all
equipment therein constantly clean and tidy to the satisfaction of
the Sanitary Authority.
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of sub-regulation (1),
every stall shall be provided by its keeper with a suitable receptacle
for the disposal of refuse and rubbish.
Size, etc. of 
refrigerator.
8. The Sanitary Authority shall decide on the size, type and
location in the stall of any refrigerator.
Obstruction. 9.  (1) The corridors or passages of any market shall be kept at
all times free from obstruction.
(2) No person shall throw into the corridors or passages or into
any part of any market any liquid substance or any other matter
whatsoever.
Stock of food in 
stalls.
10. (1) Stalls in any market shall not be stocked in excess of
reasonable daily requirements or in such a way as to interfere with
the orderliness of or hygienic practice in the stall.
(2) The Sanitary Authority may order any articles kept in
contravention of sub-regulation (1) to be removed forthwith from
the market.
Prohibition of 
certain food.
Substituted by:
L.N. 20 of 1977.
11. No person shall keep -
( a ) in any market -
(i) inflated carcases of poultry or other animals, or
PUBLIC MARKETS ġ S.L.231.04 3
(ii) preserved foodstuffs the containers of which
show signs of deterioration or old age, or
(iii) any fish killed by means of narcotics or other
noxious substances, or
S.L. 231.12.
(iv) any fish, crustaceans or molluscs containing any
additive contrary to the provisions of the Sale of
Fish Regulations, or
( b ) in the Valletta Market, carcases of poultry or rabbits
unless these had been slaughtered and stamped in that
part of the said market destined for the purpose.
Refuse, etc.
kept in any part of any market other than in the receptacle referred
to in regulation 7(2).
Articles in cellar.
other than such as are approved by the Sanitary Authority, and any
article kept in contravention of this provision may be ordered by
the Sanitary Authority to be removed.
Room in Valletta 
Market for 
slaughtering, etc., 
of poultry and 
rabbits.
14. (1) A room in the Valletta Market shall be set apart for the
slaughtering, dressing and stamping of poultry and rabbits intended
to be sold in any market, and, when intended for slaughtering, these
shall be kept in such place and under such conditions as may be
determined by the health inspector in charge at the said market.
(2) Poultry and rabbits shall be slaughtered in the presence of
the officer in charge of the said room and shall not be removed
after being slaughtered until they have been duly stamped by such
officer.
(3) It shall be lawful for the said officer to prohibit the
slaughtering of poultry or rabbits showing signs of disease or which
appear to be unfit for human consumption until these have been
inspected and passed by the health inspector in charge of the said
market.
(4) Only such persons as may be allowed by the Sanitary
Authority may use the slaughter rooms, and these persons shall be
clean in person and properly dressed, and the implements used by
them shall be clean to the satisfaction of the officer in charge of the
said rooms.
Live animals.
market, other than fish, other sea food, or those animals referred to
in, and for the purposes of regulation 14.
Facsimile  of 
stamp.
16. Every butcher having a stall in a market shall display and
constantly keep, or shall cause to be displayed and constantly kept,
in a conspicuous part of his stall wherein meat is sold a  facsimile
(supplied by the Government) of the impressions of the official
stamps used at the Government slaughterhouse for the marking of
meat.
Inspections of 
stalls and cellars.
17. The Sanitary Authority, as well as any police officer, may
at any time, and without previous notice enter any stall or cellar in
any market for the purpose of inspection and of ensuring the
carrying out of the provisions of these Regulations or of any other
4 ġ S.L.231.04 PUBLIC MARKETS
law relating to markets, and keepers of such stalls or cellars shall
afford all the necessary facilities to the Sanitary Authority and to
police officers for such entry.
Nuisances. 18. No person may -
( a ) smoke or spit or cook victuals in any part of a market;
( b ) bring dogs or other live animals (other than those
referred to in, and for the purposes of, regulation 14)
into, or suffer same to stray in, any part of a market;
( c ) cry out articles for sale or beg in or at any entrance of
a market; or
( d ) allow articles for sale to project outside the limits of
the stalls.
Provision of 
sanitary 
accommodation.
19. There shall be provided inside, or within the precincts of,
any fish market suitable sanitary accommodation for the use of the
stallkeeper and the public.
Information to be 
supplied by 
stallkeeper, etc.
20. Stallkeepers or the relative licencees shall, when so
requested, give to the sanitary authority or to any police officer
every information as to capture, storage, and any other particulars
about fish kept for sale at a particular stall.
Enforcement. 21. Any person who in any way disturbs the peace and public
order or disobeys the lawful orders of any health inspector or police
officer may be immediately expelled from the market by such
inspector or officer, as the case may be, and shall not be allowed to
re-enter it on that day.
Copy of 
regulations.
22.  Every stallkeeper shall keep in his stall a copy of these
Regulations.
