Selling Honey in Local Shops

[minature_hero]

I'm thinking of expanding my honey sales past friends and family. I understand the rules on labeling as these have been covered on another thread on the forum but I can't find the info for any hygiene standards that must be met.

Are you required to use a specific extractor type (eg stainless/plastic/are old style galvanised allowed)?

Any rules on the area the extraction takes place in (eg is a clean kitchen ok? do you have to all wear hair nets etc)

Do you have to register with some health inspection body to allow you to sell?

Do other members have insurance in case there is some foreign material found in your honey after sale?

Any other tips from you seasoned sellers as I have honey for sale and an outlet willing to experiment!

Many thanks.

minature_hero

 

[VEG]

You need to get in touch with trading standards who will give you all the info regarding the labelling (not quite as plain as it seems). Its different if you are selling direct to the consumer than if you sell to a shop who then sell it on. You will then need to register your premises with environmental health for food production, this doesnt cost anything and they are there to help. You are better off contacting them rather than them catching you out on something.
I am going through the registered premises thing at the moment.

 

[victor meldrew]

The rules for selling to a couple of retail outlets are still simplified , unlike selling to a wholesaler who will then sell on .

John Wilkinson

 

[minature_hero]

What about weights and measures? Is it enough to just use kitchen scales to fill jars or is the size jar enough to go by?

 

[VEG]

They have to be measured on certified trade approved scales. They dont have to be yours though. You just need to prove they have been weighed. I asked this question and got the answer from trading standards that "you can use the average weights way of doing it"

This basically means that for every 100 1lb jars that I use, about 5-10 have to be weighed and recorded, these then have to be at or slightly above the stated weight.

 

[victor meldrew]

The law is an ass!.
Take bread for instance, A loaf of bread has to be the weight stated . an ounce over weight is deemed as taking an advantage over a fellow baker . crazy aint it?
John Wilkinson