Starting a food business

As a food business operator, you are responsible for the food that you manufacture, transport, store, or sell. You must follow all of the applicable rules concerning safety and labelling.

Contact your local authority

Whether your business needs to be registered or not depends on its size and how consistent its activities are. Selling on an occasional basis, such as at a market, might be a business that does not need to be registered. You should contact your local authority to find out whether your business needs to be registered or not. Even if registration is not needed, it is still your responsibility to make sure that the food you sell is safe.

Registration of a food business

If you are planning on opening a café, restaurant, or food shop or on importing pre-packed food, for example, you must register with your local authority before opening. 

Approval in advance

Food businesses that make, prepare, or handle meat, fish, eggs, or dairy products for supply to other businesses might require approval by The Swedish Food Agency. 

Applying for approval should be done well in advance of opening your business. You cannot start your business before your facility is checked and approved by The Swedish Food Agency.

Forms

Fees

The local authority as well as The Swedish Food Agency charges a fee for registration, approval and inspections. Your inspecition fee depends on how great the need is to inspect your business. 

What happens if you are not registered or approved as a food business?

Failing to register or to get your food business approved before starting can lead to sanctions. When the authorities discover a food business that is neither registered nor approved, the authorities will impose a penalty fee for failing to register before starting, as well as discontinue the business until the registration or approval procedure is finalised.  

Opening a café or importing pre-packed food

Below you find leaflets with important information for you who want to import pre-packaged foodstuff or open a café in Sweden. 
Importing pre-packaged foodstuffs

Guidelines

Guidelines are mainly directed at food businesses and competent authorities, and aims to give guidance on the implementation of the food hygiene requirements and on related subjects.
Guidelines

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