Non-Jewish Deliveryman
30. It is very common today for stores to deliver all sorts of food products, e.g., fresh, ready-to-eat meat or fish, as well as fruits, vegetables, and baked goods, with a deliveryman who is not Jewish or Jewish but not reliable on kashrus. Both stores and customers must be aware of these halachos to ensure the products are delivered in the best possible way according to halacha and to avoid pitfalls or relying on kulos or b’dieved heterim.
31. Responsibility of the hashgacha. It should be noted that kashrus organizations granting hashgacha to stores that do deliveries are responsible to ensure the deliveries are also done according to halacha. There are good hashgachos that state they bear no responsibility after a product leaves the store’s premises. However, since they know the stores offer delivery and they know customers rely on the fact that they are getting items with a high-level hashgacha [otherwise they would not spend so much money], they should require and direct the stores to deliver food products according to halacha, with proper seals. They should take responsibility instead of avoiding responsibility. Why are the halachos of meat that was “hidden from the eye” hidden from their eyes? These are important halachos in Shulchan Aruch, just like shechita, treifos, and melicha.
