Food Items

Additional Guidelines for Vendors Selling Food Items on VegaVend

To ensure full compliance with UK and EU laws, and to maintain the highest standards of food safety and consumer protection, Vendors selling food items on VegaVend must diligently follow these comprehensive guidelines. Moreover, by adhering to these regulations, sellers can avoid legal issues and build trust with their customers. Therefore, it is essential that all Vendors familiarise themselves with and consistently apply these crucial guidelines in their day-to-day operations on the VegaVend platform.

Food Safety and Hygiene

Registration: Vendors selling food items on VegaVend will need to register their business with their local authority at least 28 days before commencing operations. Additionally, this step is crucial for meeting regulatory requirements and ensuring that your business is inspected and approved for food safety standards. Therefore, it is essential to contact your local council early in the planning stages to complete the registration process and avoid any delays in starting your operations. This is a legal requirement under the and the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013.

Food Safety Management: Implement a safety management system based on HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) principles. This ensures that safety hazards are identified and controlled to prevent harm to consumers.

Hygiene Practices: Maintain high standards of hygiene, including regular handwashing, clean equipment, and safe storage temperatures. All staff handling food must have appropriate hygiene training.

Allergen Information

Allergen Labelling: Clearly list the 14 major allergens as defined by EU law if they are present in the food. This information must be provided in writing, either on product labels or menus.

For further information please see Food Allergen Labelling Guidelines.

Staff Training: Ensure that staff can provide accurate allergen information to customers upon request. This is crucial for consumer safety and compliance with information regulations.

Labelling Requirements

Mandatory Information: UK labelling regulations and key labelling requirements for food items:

• Product Name. The name of the item must be clearly stated and not be misleading.
• Ingredients List. For products with two or more ingredients, a full list must be provided in descending order of weight. The list should be headed with “Ingredients”.
• Allergen Information. The 14 major allergens must be emphasised (e.g. in bold) within the ingredients list if present.
• Quantitative Ingredient Declaration (QUID). The quantity of certain ingredients must be declared as a percentage if they are emphasised on the label or essential to characterise the food. For further information please see Guidelines for Quantitative Ingredient Declaration (QUID)
• Net Quantity. The weight or volume must be displayed for packaged items over 5g or 5ml.
• Date Marking. Either a “best before” or “use by” date must be shown.
• Storage Conditions. Any special storage requirements must be stated.
• Name and Address. The name and address of the manufacturer, packer or seller must be included.
• Country of Origin. This is required for certain products like meat, fish, honey, and olive oil.
• Instructions for Use. Cooking or preparation instructions must be provided if necessary.
• Nutritional Declaration. A nutrition label in a specific format is required, showing values for energy and six nutrients per 100g/ml.
• Lot Number. A lot or batch number must be displayed.
• Any Necessary Warnings. For example, high caffeine content or the presence of sweeteners.
• Alcoholic Strength. For drinks with over 1.2% alcohol.

Additional requirements apply for specific categories like organic products, health claims, or novel foods. The information must be clearly legible, with a minimum font size (usually 1.2mm x-height).

For vegan products, while not legally required, using recognised vegan certification symbols or clear “suitable for vegans” labelling is recommended to meet consumer expectations. For further information please see Guidelines for Using ‘Vegetarian’ or ‘Vegan’ on Food Labels and Product Descriptions.

Vendors should ensure their labels are accurate, not misleading, and comply with all relevant UK and EU labelling laws.

Presentation

Ensure that the labelling, advertising, and presentation do not mislead consumers. This includes the setting in which the item is displayed.

Traceability

Record Keeping: Maintain records of where you sourced your ingredients and to whom you sold your products. This is essential for ensuring full traceability in case of safety issues.

Compliance: Be prepared to provide this information to competent authorities upon request. This is a requirement under the General Food Law Regulation (EC) 178/2002

Organic and Health Claims

Organic Certification: Only use the term “organic” if your product is certified by an approved UK organic control body. This ensures that your product meets the required organic standards.

For more information: Organic Labelling Rules for Food Items

Health Claims: Any health claims must be authorised by the European Commission and listed in the EU Register of nutrition and health claims. This prevents misleading information and ensures consumer trust. 

For further information about Health Claims on Food Items

Packaging

Food-Safe Materials: Use packaging materials that comply with EU regulations on materials in contact with food. This ensures that the packaging does not contaminate the item.

Specific Product Requirements

• Meat Products. Must come from approved sources and include specific labelling information.
• Dairy Products. Must meet compositional standards and labelling requirements.
• Novel Foods. Require pre-market authorisation before being sold in the UK.

Withdrawal and Recall

Unsafe Food: Promptly withdraw or recall any food that is not compliant with food safety requirements and has left your control. Notify the competent authorities immediately.

Additional Information

• https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/general-food-law
• https://www.ajg.com/uk/news-and-insights/2023/september/food-safety-regulation/
• https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/allergen-guidance-for-food-businesses
• https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/packaging-and-labelling
• https://www.gov.uk/food-labelling-and-packaging/food-labelling-what-you-must-show

By adhering to these guidelines, vendors can ensure compliance with UK and EU laws while selling food items on VegaVend, thereby maintaining high standards of food safety and consumer trust.