New sanitary regulations for food service establishments located in residential buildings could lead to the mass closure of restaurants and cafés in Kazakhstan, reports Inbusiness.kz.

Under the updated sanitary standards, businesses are required to modernize engineering infrastructure, including extending ventilation systems above rooftop level and installing grease traps. However, compliance has become increasingly challenging due to the need to obtain consent fr om apartment residents and secure multiple approvals.

Industry representatives note that, in order to obtain the necessary permissions, business owners are often forced to incur additional expenses, including courtyard improvements and the installation of barrier systems.

Concerns over the new requirements have also been raised in Kazakhstan’s Parliament. Member of the Mazhilis Olzhas Nuraldinov proposed revising the updated sanitary regulations and applying them only to newly developed food service facilities, wh ere engineering solutions can be incorporated at the design stage.

The sector is also facing additional pressure from rising food prices, labor shortages, inflation, and changes in tax regulation. According to industry association data, more than 13,000 restaurants, cafés, and canteens closed in Kazakhstan during the first 10 months of 2025.