Do I need special permission to sell home made cakes on bootsales?

greenpixey

Got a boot sale coming up and considering selling some home made cakes if it is allowed but I don’t know who to ask since I'm new to all this.

Also come Christmas (long time away, I know) but I was considering making Swedish Christmas sweets and cakes to sell. And if it is allowed I need to start making preparations and plan ahead.


If anyone got advise to give it would be much appreciated.

KathrynPenguin

I don't think you need any permission, it would be like selling them at a church bazaar. I've often seen (And bought!) cakes at our local boot sale. My little un love it!

bleugh

nah, you can do what you want, pretty much,
some bootsales won't allow food stalls other than the 'official' ones tho (i.e. the runners of the sale get kickbacks from protecting the regular burger vans, etc)

all i can recommend is to keep everything pristine clean, no-one sensible will buy cakes from someone that turns up with stained clothes and a dirty battered old car

hopalong_3

yes you do trading standards have a field day with this sort of thing
you need a hygine certificate, if you are putting weights on things you need calibrated scales you need to list ingredients (mainly for allegey sufferers) everything needs to be covered ie:- cling film ,bags ect and selling them at a boot sale is different than say a fete you are selling them to make money for yourself not a charity,also you would need blue food handling gloves for individuale cakes that need to be put in another bag and you must not handle money and then food you have to remove the gloves

pam

soolin

I agree with hopalong, technically all food sellers now have to comply with all sorts of rules and regulations and be able to be visited by all sorts of local government bodies. In practice though many sellers do still sell these things without official permission but be prepared in case a particular boot sale is more 'policed' than others.

I went to a farmers market last week and even the home made items there had full ingredient lists (I have coeliac disease so always check labels) and were showing certificates that appeared to be issued by the local council.

Soo

Anthillmob

id make little signs telling people nuts are in the cakes iof you make any with nuts because of allergys.

soolin

Anthillmob wrote:

id make little signs telling people nuts are in the cakes iof you make any with nuts because of allergys.

If you are concerned about nut allergies then you would also have to state that no nuts were anywhere in the place where the item was cooked, nut allergy sufferers can be very very sensitive. However, I doubt that they would be buying from a stall anyway.

Soo

Hermia

[QUOTE=soolinIn_practice_though_many_sellers_do_still_sell_these_things_without_official_permission_but_be_prepared_in_case_a_particular_boot_sale_is_more_'policed'_than_others.[/QUOTE]

The car boot sales where I live have quite a lot of coppers walking around, but if you live in a nicer area than me you might not have this problem!

soolin

Hermia wrote:

The car boot sales where I live have quite a lot of coppers walking around, but if you live in a nicer area than me you might not have this problem!

In that case they probably would have to have the riot police at mine!

Actually I meant policed by trading standards and environmental type teams as well. One of my local car boots got in the press as undercover people from all sorts of places caught pirate DVD sellers, fake handbag sellers and a couple of dodgy hot dog vans all on the same day. There was something ridiculous like 56 people cautioned and several arrested!

Soo

greenpixey

soolin wrote:

In that case they probably would have to have the riot police at mine!

:rotfl:

I didn't think it would be easy, considering the food and hygien side, rules and regulations etc. Thanks all of you, at least I got the chance to prepare now.

apprentice_tycoon

If you do go ahead with them I'd use freezer bags from Lakeland Limited rather than cling film to cover the cakes. I'd also suggest that if you are making cakes that need a topping then do them in cake tin liners, the crinkly sort from Lakeland, the cake should come up to about half and inch from the rim, then your topping goes on and it's all protected by the liner here.
I used to make cakes for tearooms so I had to abide by all the food regs but I've seen sellers at boot sales that don't seem to be in any way professional so it's up to you -
Two more ideas, only sell food not cakes mixed up with jigsaws, kids toys, clothes etc and use a gazebo to keep the sun off.