Car boot sale - cakes?

pesky85

Hi there

I'm doing my first car boot sale next month! :j

So I'm mainly going to be taking stuff from the house - old toys, highchairs / baby clothes / books......but I also wanted to bake some cakes / cupcakes etc to sell.

Is this (generally) allowed? Do I need a health and hygiene certificate to sell food as a one off? Are there any rules (eg packaging / labelling) I need to follow?

Thanks in advance
x

shaun_from_Africa

I would have thought that as a minimum, a food hygiene certificate would be required (and as far as I'm aware, this will involve an inspection of your kitchen).

As to the packaging, due to the number of people who suffer from food alergies, I would have thought that a list of ingredients along with the usual "this product may contain nuts or nut by-products" would also be needed.

Hezzawithkids

There's always someone selling home made cakes for charity at our local CBS and a friend sometimes sells her cupcakes there. I've bought from them and apart from a description of the cake (flavour, etc) there's no other labelling. I've never heard of anyone getting into trouble for NOT having a hygiene certificate but I suppose its always best to check with the organisers first. If its a one-off they might not mind.

Good luck!

looby75

as long as it's only a one off you don't need a licence or anything like that.

I've got a friend who makes handmade cards and sells them at craft fairs, every now and again she makes some home made cakes and biscuits and sells them too, but because it's not a regular thing and not a business she doesn't need any kind of licence or permission.

lynzpower

Um yes you need to be registered as a food business.

Failure to do so is a criminal offence.

Additionally you need to comply with all under the Food Labelling Regulations.

Why dont you just call your local Environmental Health team who will pop round and do your assessment?

McKneff

looby75 wrote: »

as long as it's only a one off you don't need a licence or anything like that.

I've got a friend who makes handmade cards and sells them at craft fairs, every now and again she makes some home made cakes and biscuits and sells them too, but because it's not a regular thing and not a business she doesn't need any kind of licence or permission.

It doesnt have to be a regular thing to be called a business

If she is making things to sell, it is a business, if that's what she thinks she is sadly mistaken and if she is making profit from it she needs to be speaking to HMRC.

looby75

McKneff wrote: »

It doesnt have to be a regular thing to be called a business

If she is making things to sell, it is a business, if that's what she thinks she is sadly mistaken and if she is making profit from it she needs to be speaking to HMRC.

not according to the council. She phoned to find out if she needed any special permission or licence and was told that she doesn't.

looby75

A quick internet search would seem to suggest that the rules vary from council to council. So I suppose the best thing for the OP to do would be to check what the rules are where they live

It’s also important to research the food safety standards you’ll have to meet to keep on the right side of the law. Legislation says that all food businesses must register their kitchens with their local authority unless they operate on a “casual and limited” basis only.
If you’re simply selling once in a blue moon at a car boot sale or market then you don’t need to worry. However, if you are planning on making an income in this way, contact your local council and ask them what the rules are in your area: oddly the laws vary depending on where you live.

http://www.moneymagpie.com/article/make-money-selling-cakes

Hermione_Granger

This is a fact sheet produced by my local council, and it lists all their requirements for someone who is making food in their home to be sold elsewhere.
I'm sure that the requirements will be similar for most councils.

http://www.canterbury.gov.uk/main.cfm?objectid=1380#home
http://www.canterbury.gov.uk/main.cfm?objectid=1928

A food business means any undertaking whether:

• for profit or not
• public or private
• carrying out any of the activities related to any stage of production, processing and distribution of food.

Food businesses can include home caterers, clubs, market stalls

If you are preparing or handling food at home then you will have an inspection. Each person is assessed individually. Your local Environmental Health Officer will advise you on this.

lovinituk

looby75 wrote: »

A quick internet search would seem to suggest that the rules vary from council to council. So I suppose the best thing for the OP to do would be to check what the rules are where they live



http://www.moneymagpie.com/article/make-money-selling-cakes

That only refers to the health and safety side of things. Income tax is not dependent on which council you have - if making and selling for profit then its income that needs to be declared.

Hermione_Granger

If you’re simply selling once in a blue moon at a car boot sale or market then you don’t need to worry.

Don't forget that this is a site that may well be written by people with no real knowledge of the law, and who may also have found thir information by doing a quick internet search.
This is why they state.

This Site is intended for reference purposes only and use of the Site and/or the Content is entirely at your own risk. Please note that, whilst we endeavour to provide accurate and useful information, the Content may not be wholly accurate or up-to-date and is subject to change