Food safety

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is responsible for food safety and food hygiene across the UK.

Worcestershire Trading Standards Service works with the FSA to help ensure all food sold in the area is safe, properly labelled and within the law.

Allergy and intolerance

Our step-by-step Trading Standards - Allergy and intolerance guidance provides comprehensive support to help your business comply with the law relating to the control of allergens in food, as well as resources for your documented systems.

Labelling and packaging

GOV.UK provides guidance on food labelling and packaging as well as a guide to giving food information to consumers. This guide contains information about quantitative ingredient declarations (QUID).

Business Companion have a guide on the supply of single-use plastics.

Our qualified Trading Standards Officers can check your business’s food labels for compliance. This is one of our paid-for advice services, visit Trading standards - Business advice services for more information. 

Starting a food business

The FSA website can also help you with starting a food business.

Our self assessment form Trading standards - your regulatory needs as a business will help you assess your needs. 

All food businesses must be registered with their local district council before they start trading.

If your business involves handling meat, fish, egg or dairy products, you must also be inspected and approved by your local council.

Advice guides

We have a wide range of guides available covering a host of topics and filled with useful information.

If you are a business that produces or sells food and you have any questions, please visit Trading Standards | Worcestershire County Council If you get things wrong you not only risk prosecution but you could be putting public health at risk, so let us help you get it right first time.

Report a food crime

Visit the Food Standards Agency – Report a food crime guide to find out about food crime and how you can report it.