Retained EU Law 2004 United Kingdom

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 (Food hygiene)

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At a glance

What's here

18 compliance obligations, 35 practical guides across 2 topics · 24 journeys

Penalty landscape

1 of 18 obligations carry an unlimited fine. 17 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.

Who this Act binds

Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.

  • Trader 11
  • Operator 6

Plus 1 non-business duty on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.

Step-by-step journeys using this legislation

Walkthroughs that take you from a real business situation to compliance.

Relevant guidance

Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.

Direct — cites this Act

7 guides

Supporting — topic alignment

1 guides

Mentioned in related content

27 guides
View all 35 guides →

Other Acts binding the same actors

For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.

Traders also bound by 219 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Operators also bound by 125 other Acts (top 5 shown)

What this Act requires

Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.

s.003

General obligation

Unlimited fine
  • Ensure hygiene at all stages of your food business Trader
  • Maintain high hygiene standards across all stages of food production Operator
s.008

... Guides

  • Develop and disseminate good‑practice guides for your food sector Trader
s.010

Imports

  • Ensure imported food meets EU hygiene standards Trader
  • Ensure imported food meets hygiene requirements Trader
s.011

Exports

  • Ensure exported food meets hygiene requirements Trader
  • Maintain hygiene standards for exported food products Trader
s.general hygiene requirements for all food business

GENERAL HYGIENE REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL FOOD BUSINESS OPERATORS (EXCEPT WHEN ANNEX I APPLIES)

  • Maintain clean, hygienic premises and facilities for food handling Trader
  • Maintain food premises in a clean and hygienic condition Operator
s.primary production

PRIMARY PRODUCTION

  • Maintain hygiene and control hazards in primary production Trader
  • Maintain hygiene standards and records in primary food production Operator
Browse 10 other sections — procedural / definitional / commencement
Read the full Act on legislation.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)

Official guidance

Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.

Enforcement and responsible bodies

The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.

Local Authority

Primary

Local Authority (Environmental Health / Licensing / Planning)

Local councils enforce food safety (via Environmental Health Officers), issue alcohol licences, grant planning permission, and regulate certain business activities at local …

FSA

Food Standards Agency

Food safety and hygiene regulation across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Enforces food law, provides guidance to food businesses, investigates incidents. Approves …

Food Standards Scotland

Food safety and standards in Scotland. Independent public body with similar remit to FSA but for Scotland specifically. Administers Food Hygiene Information …

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Browse legislation

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Regulators

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