About Registration
Food businesses are required by law to register with their local authority 28 days before trading. Mobile traders should register with the authority where the stall or vehicle is left overnight. Registration is free and the business cannot be refused registration. It is a criminal offence not to register if you should have, so seek advice if in doubt.
A food business is defined in EU Regulation 178/2002 as:
“any undertaking, whether for profit or not and whether public or private, carrying out any of the activities related to any stage of production, processing and distribution of food.”
However, the regulations also say that:
“Community rules should not apply either to primary production for private domestic use (e.g. allotments), or to the domestic preparation, handling or storage of food for private domestic consumption. Moreover, they should apply only to undertakings, the concept of which implies a certain continuity of activities and a certain degree of organisation.”
In addition to the obvious high street or factory businesses, we would expect to register:
- People frequently preparing food for sale from their home
- Outside caterers using a community hall kitchen for bookings
- Childminders preparing food for the children being minded
- Social/sports clubs or similar with a bar or selling e.g. rolls/sweets
- Charities holding a Friday luncheon club
Examples of activities we would not expect to register are:
- People preparing food for sale at summer and Christmas fêtes only
- People running a barbeque at an annual club fund-raiser
- Childminders dishing out food supplied by parents
- Social/sports clubs or similar where food is provided by members on rota, e.g. cricket teas
On the basis of the activities carried out, certain food business establishments are required to be approved rather than registered. e.g. . manufacturers of products of animal origin.
If you are unsure whether any aspect of your food operations would require your establishment to be approved, please contact Havering London Borough for guidance, either by email to
or
by phone on 01708 432777
As with many laws, there will always be grey areas.
Any food for sale must be safe, hygienically prepared and accurately described, whether from registered premises or not.
Once registered with the local authority, the food business operator only needs to notify them if:
- There is a change of proprietor (the new proprietor must complete a new registration form)
- The nature of the business changes
- There is a change of address at which a moveable establishment is kept
- The businesses ceases to trade – print off a copy of the de-registration form (see link above), complete it and send it to the authority.
How do I register ?
By completing a Food Registration form
By Post - Contact the Food Safety Team 01708 432777
On Line - Food Registration Form - On-line
Public Register
There is a Public Register of Food Businesses available on the website which is updated quarterly. This lists the businesses trading in the borough which are registered for food.