On the Romanian Black Sea coast, a disturbing pattern of neglect and substandard conditions has come to light, revealing a harsh reality behind the summer tourist season's glittering facade. Inspections carried out in the Belona area of Eforie Nord have uncovered appalling hygiene and safety violations in food preparation, storage, and worker accommodations, prompting authorities to take swift action against multiple businesses.
The investigations, led by the Constanța County Commissioner for Consumer Protection (CJPC Constanța) and the Regional Commissioner for Consumer Protection Southeast Galați, revealed conditions that many would find shocking in a modern European holiday destination. Horia Constantinescu, Deputy Chief Commissioner, described one food storage warehouse as a "zone where I believe dragons and other creatures live," highlighting the unsuitability of the facility for storing food, especially given that it contained products intended for children.
During the June 23 and 24, 2025 inspections, teams documented a litany of violations across several companies operating in the area. At Iobellaiz SRL, finished food products were found stored at temperatures below the legally required 60°C, operations were conducted in unauthorized spaces, and unprofessional tools and pedal-less garbage bins were in use. Tia Star CO SRL faced the harshest sanctions after inspectors found a lack of operating authorization, activities carried out outside approved sanitary-veterinary zones, and attempts to obstruct the inspection, including aggressive behavior and efforts to hide products on the roof of the building.
Moreover, Tia Star CO SRL’s facilities were marked by unhygienic refrigeration equipment with broken and moldy gaskets, a rusty pizza oven, and the presence of live insects. The workers’ accommodation conditions were also deemed improper, with staff housed in degraded, unsanitary rooms. For these offenses, the company was fined a total of 26,500 lei and subjected to a temporary suspension of services.
Other companies also failed to meet basic standards. Green & Red 68 SRL was called in for clarifications after sauces were found improperly stored and a refrigerator was deemed only slightly hygienic. SP Magic SRL was cited for lacking a technological flow, unhygienic spaces, meat without proper identification, and missing approved measuring instruments, resulting in fines totaling 23,000 lei and a formal warning.
Exclusiv Happy was penalized for storing hot food at unsafe temperatures, using unlabelled raw materials, and maintaining refrigerators with damaged seals. Complex Mariage was found exposing food to dust and sand due to a self-service line located too close to the beach, alongside rusty refrigeration units, dirty fans, and the use of worn cooking oil. The company received two fines totaling 8,500 lei and a temporary suspension of services.
New Litoral Concept SRL’s storage areas were described as totally unhygienic, with spiders on the walls, active mold growth on concrete surfaces, and cracked, dirty flooring. This led to two fines totaling 11,000 lei, a temporary service suspension, and an order to withdraw nearly 9,300 lei worth of products unfit for human consumption.
Alexmon Impex operated without proper protection against insects and dust, with flies present and a persistent sewage smell permeating the facility. Display cases were left open, leading to two fines totaling 6,500 lei, a temporary suspension, and an order to remove over 1,100 lei worth of products. New Oriental Delight was also sanctioned due to improper storage of soft drinks, with an order to withdraw nearly 1,640 lei worth of products and a summons for clarifications.
These inspections come amid wider concerns about the state of tourism infrastructure and consumer safety on Romania’s coast. Constantinescu criticized the excessive proliferation of kiosks and stalls along the promenade, saying it had transformed the area into a place resembling "Pakistan or India," and warned that these structures had grown unchecked under the watch of local authorities.
Adding to the public alarm, a consumer complaint about food poisoning at Hotel Amalia in Eforie Nord prompted an ANPC (National Authority for Consumer Protection) investigation on June 23, 2025. The complaint was substantiated by hospital records, and subsequent inspections uncovered expired food products, unhygienic refrigeration units, and improperly stored finished foods within the hotel's food block. The hotel also lacked basic hygiene measures such as pedal-operated garbage bins, and accommodation facilities were found with peeling, oxidized shower faucets, moldy shower tray gaskets, and missing protective bedding materials.
As a result, the hotel was fined 25,000 lei and had its services temporarily suspended until deficiencies were addressed and guests relocated at the operator's expense. ANPC also plans to request the Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship, and Tourism to declassify the unit, which operates under a closed-circuit system with a pre-set menu managed by the Pension House. At the time of inspection, 100 guests were staying at the hotel, with the Pension House providing 2,500 lei per person for a 16-day stay covering accommodation, meals, and treatment, while guests paid the difference based on their pension.
Equally troubling are the conditions faced by seasonal workers on the coast. A report from June 25, 2025, highlights that young employees are often crammed into tiny, windowless rooms with multiple beds, living in squalid conditions reminiscent of modern slavery. These workers accept such treatment largely due to poverty and urgent financial need, and many do not report abuses for fear of losing their jobs.
The Territorial Labor Inspectorate is expected to investigate these labor conditions, which include overcrowding, lack of ventilation, and unsanitary environments. The situation paints a grim picture of the human cost behind the booming summer tourism industry, where vulnerable workers endure inhumane treatment while businesses sometimes prioritize profit over dignity and safety.
These revelations underscore the urgent need for stricter enforcement of hygiene, safety, and labor standards along Romania’s coast. The authorities’ recent clampdown signals a growing commitment to protect consumers and workers alike, but the scale of violations suggests that much work remains to be done to ensure that the seaside resorts live up to their promise as safe and welcoming holiday destinations.
