Planning to Sell Homemade Food?

UK legal guidance for food sellers on Vrool

Selling Homemade Food in the UK

Legal Guidance

If you are selling homemade food on Vrool in the UK, you must follow local food safety laws. This helps protect buyers and ensures your business is legal.

Official UK Requirements

1. Register Your Food Business (Required)

If you sell, cook, store, handle, prepare, or distribute food, you may be considered a food business and must register with your local authority. You should do this at least 28 days before you start trading, and registration is free.

You must register here: Register your food business

Key rules:
Must register at least 28 days before selling.
Registration is free and cannot be refused.
Applies even if you cook from home.

2. Register with Your Local Council

If you run a food business from home, local authority officers may arrange a food hygiene inspection to assess whether your food preparation areas and safety procedures are suitable.

3. Food Hygiene Standards

You must follow basic food hygiene rules:

Keep your kitchen and equipment clean
Wash your hands regularly
Store food at the correct temperature
Separate raw and cooked food
Use food before its use-by date

Learn more: Safer Food, Better Business (FSA)

4. Allergen Information

You are legally required to provide allergen information for any food you sell. The 14 major allergens must be clearly communicated to the buyer:

Celery, cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, lupin, milk, molluscs, mustard, nuts, peanuts, sesame, soybeans, sulphur dioxide.

This is a legal requirement. Failure to declare allergens can result in serious consequences including prosecution.

5. Food Labelling

If you sell pre-packed food, your labels must include:

Name of the food
List of ingredients (with allergens highlighted)
Net quantity
Use-by or best-before date
Storage conditions
Name and address of the food business

6. Insurance

While not legally required, it is strongly recommended to have public liability insurance and product liability insurance when selling food. This protects you if a customer becomes ill or has an allergic reaction.

Tips for Selling Food on Vrool

Use Real Photos

Take clear, well-lit photos of your actual food. Buyers trust real images over stock photos.

Be Transparent

List all ingredients and allergens clearly in your listing description.

Delivery & Collection

Clearly state whether you offer delivery, collection, or both. Include any delivery charges upfront.

Build Your Reputation

Great food and honest descriptions lead to positive reviews, which bring more customers.

Ready to Start Selling?

List Your Food

Do you have more questions? Contact us