Navigating dark kitchens in England: environmental health, planning, and public health perspectives

BACKGROUND: Dark kitchens, 'tech-enabled commercial kitchen(s) operating mostly for delivery, to fulfil remote on-demand consumer online orders of food for immediate consumption', are a global phenomenon. As part of a wider project exploring dark kitchens and the fast-moving online food environment, we aimed to identify how professionals working in England as Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) perceive, monitor, and inspect these businesses. We investigated public health concerns and impacts regarding dark kitchens and explored role(s) that Local Authority (LA) teams, local planning regulations, and national policy can play in regulating these businesses across England. METHODS: Six semi-structured one-to-one interviews with EHOs and an interactive workshop with five key stakeholders from Local Government roles were held. An inductive, descriptive analysis approach was used within a critical realist framework. RESULTS: Two over-arching themes were generated: 'Informal Awareness of dark kitchens', describing a limited recognition and lack of formal monitoring of dark kitchens; and 'Perceived Concerns and Solutions', highlighting potential hygiene issues, planning ambiguities, and calls for better communication within LAs. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the need for rapid policy adaptation, improved data sharing, and cross-sector collaboration to address highlighted challenges in this sector.