Food law and enforcement
Introduction
Food businesses must comply with general food law and food hygiene legislation. This applies to all food business operators, including:
- caterers
- producers
- manufacturers
- importers
- distributors
- retailers
Food law exists to protect public health, safeguard consumers and ensure food is safe to eat. The government designs food rules to be simple, focused and to avoid unnecessary burdens on businesses. Central bodies such as the Food Standards Agency set the framework and directly regulate some food sectors, while the local councils inspect most food premises, advise businesses, and take enforcement action where needed.
This guide provides an overview of food regulation and legislation. It details the food law enforcement agencies and how they carry out the enforcement of food laws. This guide also explains food crime and whistleblowing in the food industry.
You should note that there are many other more specific pieces of legislation regarding food. These are covered in other nibusinessinfo.co.uk and Food Standards Agency guides. This guide covers general food law and food hygiene because of their relevance to all food businesses.
