Opening a farm shop can be an attractive proposition for a farmer – opening up new markets and gaining an additional income stream which cuts out the middleman.
The growth in public demand for locally-produced food and drink has been matched by a growing number of producers offering products which come with their own unique origin stories.
And farm shops have a major role to play in this. But farmers who are considering setting up their own farm shop have to adhere to the rules and regulations that allow them to set up shop legally and safely.
Parking and transport
Customers coming onto your farm will ideally be able to leave their car in an off-road car park away from farm traffic.
Clear road markings and signage will enable cars to enter and exit the site while keeping pedestrians separate and safe. Good lighting and level, non-slip pathways will also create a safer environment particularly during winter.
In areas where there is likely to be a high level of pedestrian movement such as immediately outside the entrance, consider providing barriers or bollards which exclude vehicles from the area.
Fire safety
A full fire risk assessment should be a priority as it will help identify and control any hazards.
Other aspects to consider include:
Shop areas
Shop areas need to be kept clean and tidy. There should be sufficient space between displays to allow people to move freely and safely.
Try to keep designated walkways so that all staff know not to store items in areas where they may cause an obstruction.
Clean up any spillages immediately and try to dry out any surfaces which may become slippery as well as placing warning signs nearby.
All product displays need to be stored in a stable manner and any shelving must be strong enough to support the displayed goods.
Remember that children may be present in the shop and so it is important to consider items at low level which may cause them harm.
Manual handling
Strains from manual handling are common in retail. Try to reduce the risk of manual handling injuries occurring by:
Food safety
All food premises must register with their local Environmental Health Department. Food premises registration is free of charge and must be renewed on change of ownership.
All food businesses must have a written food safety management system in place.
You can produce your own food safety management system however the Food Standards Agency have developed a pack called ‘Safer Food Better Business’ which you can complete and use for this purpose.
If you handle open food, for example in a butchery or have a deli counter, it is important that you consider the food safety issues in more depth than detailed in this guidance.