Failure in the FGIS "Mercury" system threatens food supplies in Russia

However, large retailers refuse to accept MEAT, dairy and fish products without electronic confirmation, fearing consequences from regulators. The market is seeing returns, fines and potential financial losses. Some processors are facing difficulties working with the Honest Sign labeling system, as they are unable to enter the necessary data into Mercury. The rules of interaction in the event of a failure are not clearly defined, which leads to uncertainty in legal matters and high risks. ROSSELKHOZNADZOR reported that the restoration of the Mercury HS system will be carried out in stages, although for now the main functionality, including the registration and tracking of electronic veterinary accompanying documents, remains unavailable. The failure demonstrated the vulnerability of the system launched in 2018 and the need to improve the regulatory framework to ensure the sustainability of the digital infrastructure of the food market in RUSSIA.