Reopening your food business after the COVID-19 lockdown

Stock control

Check all food stock within your business to ensure that it's in date. Any food that has an expired use by date must be disposed of immediately. All food with a best before date must be checked to see if it's still of good quality and safe to eat. If you're unsure, throw it away.

When ordering new stock, use reputable suppliers (make sure that you have their address and contact details) so that you can trace where the food came from. Upon delivery, check that the food is labelled correctly so you know if the food contains any of the 14 allergens. If the food item is supplied to you packaged, make sure a label is fixed to the package with all the required information. For items supplied loose or without packaging, the labelling information including allergens should be provided in document accompanying the food items.   

Ensure all new food delivered to your premises is of good quality, the packaging is not damaged, the food is not infested with insect pests and that it's still within it's use by and best before date.

It's likely that there will be some disruption of the food supply chain as a result of the virus and lockdown, therefore there may be a shortage of some ingredients. 

Consideration will probably need to be given to the following: 

• reducing your menu 
• substituting ingredients in a product (make sure that you identify any changes in allergen content of new ingredients or dishes on the menu)
• changing the packaging 
• changing the process 

it's important that all food businesses remember their legal obligations to only place safe food on the market (including consideration of allergen information given to customers). Any change to product, packaging or processing requires a full review of the business’ food safety management system (HACCP or SFBB).

This will allow the food business operator or the person in charge of the business to:  

• assess the risk to the food 
• put adequate controls in place (eg stock control, temperature control, staff training, labelling)
• document the changes in their safer food better business pack or in their HACCP document

Page last updated: 05 May 2022