Free Food Safety Resources to Help with the Festive Rush

With Christmas fast approaching, food businesses are looking forward to one of the busiest trading periods of the year.

As part of its ‘Safer Food Means Better Business’ campaign, the FSA is offering free training, checklists and practical guidance to help small and micro businesses stay on top of food safety and hygiene.

Extra Attention at Christmas

The festive season can bring increased pressure to food businesses. Higher demand, expanded menus and the use of temporary or seasonal staff all raise the risk of mistakes - especially around food handling, allergens and hygiene standards.

Even small slip-ups can lead to problems for your business and unnecessary disruption at a time when margins matter most.

Practical Steps to Take

Practical steps to consider at this time of year could include:

• Training seasonal and temporary staff on the basics of food hygiene and allergen management.
• Reviewing allergen information for Christmas menus, festive specials and buffets to ensure accuracy.
• Checking that temporary setups, such as stalls at Christmas markets or pop-up events, meet all food safety requirements.

To review the FSA’s guidance for food businesses, see here.