www.sausagemaking.org

I've been producing my own sausages now for some time. It has been suggested by friends who have had samples of my efforts that I should be selling them. I am not looking to start a business but I wonder if it is possible to sell small batches of sausages at a Farmers Market or similar. If so do I need to have any certification. What are the regulations on selling homemade produce?

Your best bet is to contact your local council usually the Highways dept.

You have to be registered with the council and the premises where the sausages are made has to be inspected by the health inspector.


There are various regulations thatyou have to abide by in food preparation areas with strict regulations like toilets and handwash basins not used for preparation of foods etc and no pets or animals are free to wander about.

I had a sandwhich delivery service years ago and then onto mobile quick food vans and there are many pitfalls.

Sadly no one lets you get on with your business in your own way and they want to keep poking in their noses....you cannot take the risk of some one reporting you for food contamination and there is the public liabilities insuarance to deal with as well.


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Your best bet is to contact your local council usually the Highways dept.

You have to be registered with the council and the premises where the sausages are made has to be inspected by the health inspector.


There are various regulations thatyou have to abide by in food preparation areas with strict regulations like toilets and handwash basins not used for preparation of foods etc and no pets or animals are free to wander about.

I had a sandwhich delivery service years ago and then onto mobile quick food vans and there are many pitfalls.

Sadly no one lets you get on with your business in your own way and they want to keep poking in their noses....you cannot take the risk of some one reporting you for food contamination and there is the public liabilities insuarance to deal with as well.

A friend of mine started to sell cheese and did very well he used to actually buy his cheeses already made from a firm in Wales but he used to treat and mature them for nine months to a year and it would become a specialist cheese not just a caerphilly.

His stock of cheeses maturing were condemmed by the Maff because a little boy drank some milk that was contaminated and it gave him a tummy ache but this was from milk that was at least nine months after his cheese was produced......His cheese maturing rooms were locked up by the MAFF and his cheeses deteriorated because they were not looked after and the value of the cheese they condemmed was �58,000.00.

He went to court and won the case against them but they appealed and it was recinded he was then going to the House of Lords but unfortuantely he died before the case was heard.


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Thanks for that, probably won't bother just yet.

Hi Micky

When I looked into this some time ago I was amazed at the complexity of the do's and dont's so had to think again. However there was talk at the time that the demi gods on high were going to make it easier for the small producer at some juncture in 2006. HOw this was going to be and who this would be aimed at (i.e. how small is small) I am not too sure, but it could be worth a look. If you do take it further please post your findings.

Cheers WW.

new european food processing guidlines came into force at the beginning of the year. local EHO/council are obliged to send you details upon request

MICKY wrote:... I am not looking to start a business but I wonder if it is possible to sell small batches of sausages at a Farmers Market or similar. If so do I need to have any certification. What are the regulations on selling homemade produce?

There may be other problems, like Insurance, but its *not* necessary to register and have your premises inspected - **IF** you are only doing it very occasionally.
There is a special exemption for 'small-time' use of premises for food production.

You only *need* to register, if the premises are to be used for more than five days in any five weeks.
Here's what Camden says, for example, (it seems to be universal)
http://www.camden.gov.uk/print/ccm/cont ... n?page=all

One would assume that if he was going to sell at farmers markets most of which are held weekly then he would be preparing say 50lbs of sausages per week, otherwise it would not be worth opening and if they were good and demand went up he would have to increase production or say when they are gone they are gone.

He obviously wants to make money and what is his day worth to him ?

He is not going to do things for nothing so his sale price must reflect value and returns for his materials and labours so making a few pounds for friends on the side and maybe selling at cost is entirely different and doesn't required all the rigmarole of registering and public health.

But woe betide him if some one fell sick and it was found that he had been selling his produce.

So it all rests on what he really wants to do...make money or be the good samaritan.


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NFU are helpful with quotes for 'public liability' insurance

Thanks for your comments guys.

I would probably make a large batch once a month and try the farmers market to see how they go. Then if it is popular, the market is held every couple of weeks. That is as often as I would produce stock anyway.

Am definately gonna look into this further when I have a bit if time on my hands.

Its not exactly a new business venture, more of a hobby.