Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013
What this means for your business
- Applies to
- United Kingdom
- On this page
- 14 compliance obligations, 16 practical guides across 2 topics
What you must do
14 compliance obligations under this legislation — 12 can result in imprisonment.
Management duties 1
Comply with all food safety, hygiene and labelling requirements
If you run a food business you must make sure that every part of your operation meets the food‑law rules that have been incorporated from EU regulations. This covers keeping food safe, correctly labelled, traceable, and hygienic, having HACCP plans, keeping records, cooperating with inspectors, and meeting any export, import or approval conditions. Failure to do so can lead to criminal prosecution.
Offences and prohibitions 13
Breach bulk sea‑transport requirements for oils/fats or raw sugar
2 years imprisonmentIf you transport liquid oils, fats or raw sugar by sea and do not follow the cleaning, documentation and labelling rules set out in this schedule, you commit a criminal offence. A breach can lead to prosecution, with the possibility of an unlimited fine and, for the most serious cases, imprisonment.
Cause another person to commit a food safety offence
2 years imprisonmentIf a breach of the Food Safety and Hygiene Regulations occurs because of something you did or failed to do, you can be prosecuted even though you were not the person who actually carried out the breach. The law treats you as equally liable, so you face the same penalties that apply to the primary offender.
Contravene a hygiene prohibition order
2 years imprisonmentIf a court has issued a hygiene prohibition order against your food business – for example banning a specific process, piece of equipment or the use of premises – and you knowingly continue to use it, you are committing a criminal offence. Breaching the order can lead to prosecution, with the court deciding any fine, imprisonment or other sanctions.
Corporate and officer liability for food safety offences
2 years imprisonmentIf your food business commits an offence under the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations and that breach was done with the consent, connivance or neglect of a director, manager, secretary or any similar officer, both the company and that individual can be prosecuted. They will face the same penalty that applies to the underlying food‑safety offence.
Disclose trade secret information obtained during inspection
2 years imprisonmentIf you (or any person) enter a food premises under the powers granted by the Food Safety and Hygiene Regulations and then tell anyone else about a trade‑secret you learned there, you commit a criminal offence unless the disclosure is part of your official duties. A conviction can lead to a fine, imprisonment, or both, depending on how the offence is later sentenced. The exact penalties are set out elsewhere in the regulations.
Fail to comply with a detention notice
2 years imprisonmentIf a food safety officer serves you with a written detention notice requiring you to hold an animal or food for examination and you do not follow it, you commit a criminal offence. Conviction can lead to a fine (potentially unlimited) and/or imprisonment, depending on the court.
Fail to comply with a hygiene improvement notice
2 years imprisonmentIf an authorised officer (e.g. a local authority environmental health officer) serves you with a hygiene improvement notice that tells you what you must do to meet the hygiene regulations and you do not carry out those actions within the time specified (at least 14 days), you commit a criminal offence. On conviction you can be fined (unlimited) and may face imprisonment, depending on how the court decides the case.
Fail to comply with a remedial action notice
Unlimited fineIf a local authority or the Food Standards Agency serves you with a remedial action notice – for example ordering you to stop using equipment, change a process or shut down part of your premises – and you do not follow the notice, you are committing a criminal offence. Conviction can lead to a fine (potentially unlimited) and, in more serious cases, imprisonment. The offence applies to the food business operator or anyone acting on their behalf who ignores the notice.
Fail to comply with EU food‑safety provisions
2 years imprisonmentIf you (or your business) do not follow the EU food‑safety rules that are set out in the regulations, you commit a criminal offence. On conviction you can be fined – the fine is unlimited – and, if tried in the Crown Court, you can also be sentenced to up to two years’ imprisonment (or both). The offence applies to any person who is responsible for the food business.
Fail to keep required records of farm‑slaughtered meat
2 years imprisonmentIf you supply small amounts of poultry or rabbit meat that you have slaughtered on your farm, you must keep a weekly record of how many birds or lagomorphs you receive and how much fresh meat you dispatch, keep that record for one year, and show it to an authorised officer on request. Failing to do any of this is a criminal offence. A conviction can result in a fine and, in more serious cases, imprisonment, although the exact penalties are set elsewhere in the Regulations.
Import or sell sprouts/seeds without required certification
2 years imprisonmentIf you import into England or put on the market any sprouts or seeds intended for sprouting that do not meet the certification requirements set out in EU Regulation 211/2013, you commit a criminal offence. Conviction can lead to a fine and/or imprisonment, the exact limits being set in the linked offences and penalties regulation.
Obstruct or mislead food safety enforcement officer
3 months imprisonmentIf you intentionally block an environmental health officer or the Food Standards Agency from carrying out their duties, or refuse to give them information they reasonably need, you commit an offence. Providing false or misleading information to them is also an offence. Conviction can lead to a criminal fine and/or imprisonment, depending on how the court classifies the offence.
Partner liable for partnership food safety offence
2 years imprisonmentIf a Scottish partnership breaches any food‑safety regulation and a partner either consented to, turned a blind eye to, or neglected to stop the breach, that partner is treated as having committed the same offence as the partnership. The partner can then be prosecuted and punished just like the partnership itself.
Penalties for non-compliance
13 penalties under this legislation. 12 can result in imprisonment. 13 carry an unlimited fine.
Breach bulk sea‑transport requirements for oils/fats or raw sugar
Unlimited fine and/or 2 years imprisonment
Cause another person to commit a food safety offence
Unlimited fine and/or 2 years imprisonment
Contravene a hygiene prohibition order
Unlimited fine and/or 2 years imprisonment
Corporate and officer liability for food safety offences
Unlimited fine and/or 2 years imprisonment
Disclose trade secret information obtained during inspection
Unlimited fine and/or 2 years imprisonment
Fail to comply with a detention notice
Unlimited fine and/or 2 years imprisonment
Fail to comply with a hygiene improvement notice
Unlimited fine and/or 2 years imprisonment
Fail to comply with EU food‑safety provisions
Unlimited fine and/or 2 years imprisonment
Fail to keep required records of farm‑slaughtered meat
Unlimited fine and/or 2 years imprisonment
Import or sell sprouts/seeds without required certification
Unlimited fine and/or 2 years imprisonment
Obstruct or mislead food safety enforcement officer
Unlimited fine and/or 3 months imprisonment
Partner liable for partnership food safety offence
Unlimited fine and/or 2 years imprisonment
Fail to comply with a remedial action notice
Unlimited fine
Practical guidance
Our guides explain how to comply with the requirements above.
Sector-Specific 14
Register and run a food business
How to register your food business with your local authority, meet food hygiene requirements, and achieve a good …
Food safety management systems and HACCP
Implement HACCP-based food safety management procedures and comply with food hygiene regulations.
Brewery licensing and compliance
Complete licensing, registration, and duty requirements for operating a brewery in the UK, including APPA registration, food safety, …
Food and drink business licensing and compliance
Navigate the complete range of licences, registrations, certifications, and consents required for food and drink businesses across production, …
Food Safety for Childcare Providers
Food safety and nutrition requirements for childcare settings, including food business registration, allergen management, HACCP systems, and Ofsted …
Food business registration
Register your food business with your local authority before starting operations.
Food hygiene and HACCP
Implement food safety management procedures based on HACCP principles.
Food Hygiene Rating Scheme
Understand the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme and display your rating.
Set up and run a compliant farm shop
How to register, comply with food safety, and handle VAT when selling produce directly from your farm. Covers …
Set up food premises that meet hygiene standards
How to set up food premises that meet the legal hygiene standards under Regulation (EC) 852/2004. Covers layout, …
Control food temperatures safely
Keep food at safe temperatures throughout storage, cooking, holding, cooling, and reheating to prevent harmful bacterial growth and …
Food safety training for your staff
Food hygiene certificates are not a legal requirement -- UK law requires competency, not certificates. This guide explains …
Food safety compliance checklist
Quick verification checklist for food business operators. Covers registration, HACCP, temperature control, allergens, training, record keeping, and premises …
Prepare for a food hygiene inspection
Use this checklist to prepare your food business for an environmental health inspection. Covers the three areas inspectors …
Compliance & Legal 2
Business licences by activity type
A quick-reference lookup of UK business licences organised by activity type, covering food, alcohol, entertainment, waste, street trading, …
Penalties for trading without required approvals
Quick-reference table of penalties for operating a business without required licences, registrations, or insurance, covering criminal offences, fines, …
Sections and provisions
41 classified provisions from this legislation.
Offences and penalties 13
- Schedule 3 Bulk transport in sea-going vessels of liquid oils or fats and the bulk transport by sea of raw sugar
- Schedule 5 Direct supply by the producer of small quantities of meat from poultry or lagomorphs slaughtered on the farm
- s.6 Hygiene improvement notices
- s.7 Hygiene prohibition orders
- s.9 Remedial action notices
- s.10 Detention notices
- s.11 Offences due to the fault of another person
- s.16 Powers of entry
- s.17 Obstruction etc. of officers
- s.19 Offences and penalties
- s.20 Offences by bodies corporate
- s.21 Offences by Scottish partnerships
- s.37 Amendments to the Official Feed and Food Controls (England) Regulations 2009