This Guide provides retailers and shopkeepers with practical guidance on how to comply with general food hygiene legislation and related requirements. It is officially recognised by the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) and agreed with enforcers, industry and other relevant stakeholders. The principle objective of the hygiene rules is to ensure a high level of food safety protection for consumers. The Retail Guide gives advice and provides guidance to retail businesses on how to comply with Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs and with the Food Hygiene (England) Regulations 2006 as amended and the equivalent Regulations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This is an official Guide to the Regulations, which has been developed in accordance with Article 8 of Regulation 852/2004. The Regulations build on previous requirements and most well-run businesses should find that they will already meet most of the obligations in them. However, the Regulations do require businesses to look at their operations in a different way and conduct an assessment of the risks to food safety within their business, which is clearly outlined in the guide. This systematic approach is known as ‘Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points’ or HACCP. Businesses should conduct a risk assessment and apply precautions to deal with these risks. The Guide provides the information necessary to understand assessment charts to show enforcement officers how the Regulations have been complied with. Other areas of good practice referred to in the Retail Guide include Temperature Control, Display of Open Foods, Pest Control and the principles behind Hazard Analysis. The use of the Guide is optional however, where a food business operator is following the guidance in a recognised Industry Guide, the enforcement authority must take this into account when assessing compliance with the legislation.
