A business lobby has helped small food retailers from being hit by a new raft of European red tape.
The Forum of Private of Private Business (FPB) has helped convince the European Commission (EC) to exempt UK small businesses from, what it believes, is over regulation. This will allow them to bypass much of the bureaucratic record keeping of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP).
The regulations, which are applicable to all food businesses, would have forced staff to keep a daily log of temperature checks as well as a host of other details, much of which would have cost time and money to many small firms.
After much lobbying, the FPB helped convince the EC to stipulate a check on unusual temperature changes only.
Bob Salmon, FPB food advisor, said: “The European Commission has seen sense and decided against making these tough new guidelines applicable to smaller businesses.
“But the FPB advises members not to throw away all the work they have already done on HACCP as they will still have to demonstrate to the relevant authorities that they are taking all reasonable steps to manage the risks in their business."
Examples of outlets that still must bear in mind the EC proposals are open market stalls and premises where ham and cheese are sliced.
