Selling honey

[Levitt53]

I’ve just extracted one super and now have 24 jars line up on top of my cupboard. I’m thinking that I might have enough later in the season to sell as there is likely to be more. I’d like to get my head around exactly what I should do to sell it. I’ve looked at the labels on Thornes. I have a few questions though and can’t find a nice fact sheet online.

1 How specific do I need to be about my address?
2. Do I have to give a best before date? Would a extraction date suffice? If not what date do people typically put?
3. I assume lot numbers and dates can be added by hand as i wouldn’t have 100 in one go?

Obviously if anyone knows of a good concise fact sheet that would be great. Thanks

 

[Davelin]

!. The address must be specific enough for someone to find you, first line + postcode will suffice.

2.Yes you must put best before, although there appears to be no limit on what you can put. Most put 2-3 years I believe

3. Yes you can.

The BBKA used to have a simple factsheet on their website, but typically I can't find it there now. This route will take you to it though

http://www.---------------.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/BBKA-Selling-Honey-Advice.pdf

won't put full link on here but missing bit is "talking with bees" without any spaces!

 

[Beefriendly]

All depends where you are intending to sell it.
If from garden gate or market stall or local shop you simply need Honey and weight.
The precise labeling is when you supply a distributor who passes it on to unknown sellers.
However I find customer confidence is enhanced if you follow the legal guidelines and correctly label your jars. They don't like products that simply say honey on them.

 

[Levitt53]

Thanks both. It’ll probably be word of mouth or at our local farmers market, but I wanted to do it properly so I knew what I was doing. That has answered my questions.

 

[Beverlyp24]

I ordered labels online from bespokelabels.net last year. He has a good selection and information on what you need to include. He also prints sequential lot numbers to the labels and I thought they were cheap, truthfully.

Might be worth a look..

 

[Beefriendly]

Thanks both. It’ll probably be word of mouth or at our local farmers market, but I wanted to do it properly so I knew what I was doing. That has answered my questions.

Make sure you are registered with your local food hygiene department. Most markets won't allow you on without the food safety certificate from a local authority. BBKA membership carries public liability, but not all markets will accept that.

 

[masterBK]

"market stall or local shop you simply need Honey and weight".
Not sure that this is correct as you would be selling through a third party. So would also need best before date, lot number, name/address, country of origin etc and the lettering for the metric weight would have to be the right height (4 mm for 454g)

 

[Beefriendly]

"market stall or local shop you simply need Honey and weight".
Not sure that this is correct as you would be selling through a third party. So would also need best before date, lot number, name/address, country of origin etc and the lettering for the metric weight would have to be the right height (4 mm for 454g)

It spot on advice as given to me by the chief of Rydales Environmental health officers.
It's to do with trace-ability, you are selling at a stall and shopkeeper knows who you are. But as I've already said the customer prefers the reassurance of the correct labeling, so whilst you can legally do it, it will be detrimental to your sales.

 

[Swarm]

Just contact your own local authorities, they will give you the correct info.

 

[Dodge]

Best before date, does it need to be on the main label or will it suffice to be on separate antitamper strip.

 

[enrico]

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/1348/made
If you want to know what to do properly!!

 

[Levitt53]

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/1348/made
If you want to know what to do properly!!

Oh Lordy, looking for something in plain English. I’ve registered with the local food standards people and e-mailed them directly so hopefully I’ll get a no nonsense reply or I’ll go with the advice on here. Thanks anyway.

 

[Angry_Mob]

Best before date, does it need to be on the main label or will it suffice to be on separate antitamper strip.

If you want a seperate BB date you need to have where you can find it on the label i.e Best Before see base.

As Beverly said earlier in the thread check out https://bespokelabels.net/honey-labelling-regulations/# which its helpful for understanding the regulations.

 

[Eyeman]

Best before date, does it need to be on the main label or will it suffice to be on separate antitamper strip.

Lot number can be omitted if best before date is changed with each batch

 

[Erichalfbee]

Best before date, does it need to be on the main label or will it suffice to be on separate antitamper strip.

All the information has to be in one field of view........ but not necessarily on the front.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

All the information has to be in one field of view........ but not necessarily on the front.

the BB date can be put elsewhere as long as there is a direction to where to find it.

 

[Erichalfbee]

the bb date can be put elsewhere as long as there is a direction to where to find it.

pto
:d

 

[Levitt53]

I registered with the local food standards people then had a phone call from them to say that I didn’t need to register unless I started to supply through a third party or sell considerably more than I could envisage. As I write this I realise that she hasn’t e-mailed me to say that I don’t need to register, however I still have the e-mail to say I have registered - not very efficient. Anyway she didn’t seem to know much about labelling, although I know what I need to do with that now, however she did say that I needed to add a warning not to give to babies under 1 year of age. I have heard this before but it not seen it on any honey jars I think. Do I need to add this - I think I should as she has told me.

 

[Beefriendly]

Depending on where you are planning on selling your honey you may need to force them to register you. Farmers markets (the good ones) won't let you onto them with anything under a 4-star hygiene rating. So if planning on going the market you will need to be registered.

 

[Popparand]

There are dozens of honey label suppliers on the internet. It's fairly obvious which one's comply because they have fields you can customise with your own details. As far as I am aware you dont need a lot number if you have a bb date, but there's no reason why you shouldn't make one up. Belt and braces.