New food businesses urged to register with Eden District Council

The Covid-19 period has seen a significant increase in food being sold from people's homes, with the internet making it easier than ever to set up and start trading.

According to data from the Food Standard Authority (FSA) Register a Food Business digital service, 37% of new ventures registered since the start of the pandemic (March 2020) are run from domestic kitchens at private addresses.

Cllr Judith Derbyshire, Housing and Health Portfolio Holder at Eden District Council, said, "Information from the FSA suggests that, across the nation, an increasing number of home-based sellers do not realise that they are classed as food businesses, and therefore have not registered with their local authorities.

"As a result, some newly established businesses could be putting consumers at risk because they haven't demonstrated good food safety knowledge. 

"Eden District Council is offering help and support to ensure businesses in the area get hygiene standards right: protecting consumers from the moment they open."

If you cook, store, prepare, sell or distribute a food or drink product then you are classed as a food business, and must register your business right away at www.food.gov.uk or by contacting the Community Protection Food team at Eden District Council.

Cllr Derbyshire continued, "Our advice is clear, if you're planning to start a new food business, or taking over an existing food business locally – you must register with Eden District Council. Registering is free and easy to do."  

All food businesses have a legal obligation to register with their local authority 28 days before opening.

Businesses must register whether they sell food via social media (such as Facebook Marketplace or an Instagram store), sell via e-commerce sites such as Amazon or eBay, trade from a physical customer-facing premises or simply run a food business from a home kitchen. Businesses must also register with the local authority if they are taking over an existing food business.  

Registering a food business means that where appropriate local authorities can carry out a food hygiene inspection, give a Food Hygiene Rating and provide advice on how to improve food hygiene and food safety practices