Find the food laws that apply to your business and how to follow them.
New food hygiene laws came into force in the UK on 1 January 2006. They affect all food businesses, including:
How the legislation affects you will depend on the size and type of your business.
Find out about the food laws your business must follow from the Food Standards Agency (FSA).
Find the latest food hygiene regulations from the FSA. You can phone the FSA on 0330 332 7149.
The main change in the law is that all food businesses need a documented food safety management system.
The Food Standards Agency created Safer Food, Better Business packs to support food businesses.
You can download the Safer Food, Better Business packs and diary refill pages from the Food Standards Agency.
There are packs available for different settings and in other languages. Please use the pack most relevant to your business.
If you’re unsure which pack you should use, you can:
The new regulations require businesses to document and verify their records. They must do this as well as follow the existing requirements.
Businesses do not have to use classical Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP), but they do need to develop food safety management systems based on HACCP principles.
The documentation and record-keeping should be appropriate for the type and size of the business. These packs help businesses understand how to do this.
The FSA has a range of videos which focus on key food safety messages, including the basic 4 Cs:
Watch food safety videos from the FSA.