Wholesaling covers very different businesses, and what you must do depends on what you trade. This path takes you through it in order. First, work out which rules apply to your goods. Then put the duties every wholesaler shares in place. Then follow the rules for what you trade. Finally, check you have covered everything.
Step 1 — Work out which rules apply
Identify whether you trade controlled or excise goods, general merchandise, food and agricultural goods, or waste, scrap and fuel. Each has different rules and regulators.
Step 2 — Put the shared duties in place
Every wholesaler must protect personal data, avoid discrimination and insure its employees. It must also manage warehouse health and safety, keep premises fire-safe and meet the waste duty of care.
Step 3 — Follow the rules for what you trade
Now work through the guide for your goods. If you trade across categories, follow each relevant guide.
If you wholesale alcohol, tobacco or medicines
Get the right wholesale authorisation before you trade — AWRS for alcohol, a Wholesale Dealer's Authorisation for medicines, a VMD authorisation for veterinary medicines, and a Home Office licence for controlled drugs — and account for excise duty and track-and-trace.
If you wholesale general merchandise
Verify conformity marking and documentation, and keep traceability records. Do not supply unsafe or non-compliant goods across chemicals, electrical goods, machinery, construction products, textiles, furniture and precious metals.
If you wholesale food or agricultural goods, or deal in waste, scrap or fuel, the wholesale rules router points you to the food, animal, plant and waste regime guides for those goods.
Step 4 — Confirm you are compliant
Work through the wholesale compliance checklist to confirm every obligation that applies to your business is in place.