Regulation (EC) 852/2004, Article 6
What this means for your business
- Applies to
- United Kingdom
- On this page
- 9 compliance obligations
What you must do
9 compliance obligations under this legislation.
Management duties 8
Comply with general and specific food hygiene requirements
If you run any part of the food chain – from primary production to processing, distribution or retail – you must follow the hygiene rules set out in the relevant annexes of the regulation and any extra requirements from Regulation 853/2004. This means putting in place procedures for microbiological safety, temperature control, maintaining the cold chain and carrying out sampling and analysis as required.
Develop and disseminate good‑practice guides for your food sector
If you operate in a food‑business sector you must create and share guides that set out good practice. You need to consult the relevant authorities and consumer groups, make sure the guide follows Codex Alimentarius codes and, for primary production, the Annex I recommendations. The Food Safety Authority will then check the guide to confirm it meets these requirements.
Ensure exported food meets hygiene requirements
If you export or re‑export food, you must apply the same hygiene rules that apply to food sold on the EU market, as set out in Articles 3‑6 of this Regulation. In practice this means you need to have the same controls, checks and records for exported food as you do for food sold domestically.
Ensure hygiene at all stages of your food business
If you run a food business, you must make sure that every step – from producing and processing to distributing food – meets the hygiene standards set out in this Regulation. In practice this means putting systems in place to control cleanliness, temperature, pest control and other hygiene aspects throughout your operation.
Ensure imported food meets hygiene requirements
If your business brings food into the UK, you must make sure that the food complies with the hygiene rules set out in Articles 3‑6 of Regulation (EU) 852/2004. In practice this means you need to have procedures, checks and records that demonstrate the food is safe and handled hygienically before it reaches the market.
Implement and maintain HACCP food safety system
If you run any part of the food chain after primary production (e.g. processing, packaging, storage or distribution), you must set up a HACCP system. This means identifying hazards, the steps where you control them, limits, monitoring, corrective actions, verification and keeping the relevant records. Whenever you change a product or process you must review and update the system, and be ready to show the authority the paperwork.
Maintain clean, hygienic premises and facilities for food handling
You must keep all your food premises, rooms, transport vehicles and any temporary sites clean, in good repair and designed so they can be easily cleaned, ventilated and kept at the right temperature. This includes providing enough hand‑washing basins, toilets, changing rooms, pest control and temperature‑controlled storage, and ensuring cleaning agents are stored away from food.
Maintain hygiene and control hazards in primary production
If you produce or handle primary food products (animals, plants, fish or wild game) you must keep them free from contamination by applying appropriate cleaning, water quality, staff health, pest‑control and waste‑management measures, and you must keep records of those measures. The records must be retained for a suitable period and be shown to the authority if asked.
Registration and licensing 1
Register and keep your food establishments approved with authorities
If you run a food business, you must tell the local authority about every site you use to make, process or distribute food, keep them updated on any changes or closures, and make sure any site that requires official approval gets it after an on‑site inspection. You also need to cooperate with inspectors when they request information.
Practical guidance
Our guides explain how to comply with the requirements above.
Sections and provisions
20 classified provisions from this legislation.
Duties 10
- s.3 General obligation Food business operators
- s.4 General and specific hygiene requirements
- s.5 Hazard analysis and critical control points hazards that
- s.6 Official controls, registration and approval food business operator
- s.8 ... Guides
- s.10 Imports
- s.11 Exports
- s.15 Consultation of the ... Food Safety Authority
- GENERAL HYGIENE REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL FOOD BUSINESS GENERAL HYGIENE REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL FOOD BUSINESS OPERATORS (EXCEPT WHEN ANNEX I APPLIES)
- PRIMARY PRODUCTION PRIMARY PRODUCTION