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Selling food online
Selling food online can mean taking orders through a website or social media, including from home. Before you start, check the food-business registration and safety requirements where you live: they differ between the UK and Ireland. <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/starting-a-food-business" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">GOV.UK</a> <a href="https://www.fsai.ie/getmedia/79d65fc6-ec1b-4e5c-9050-e94e2c0a84fa/selling-food-online-final-accessible(2).pdf?ext=.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Food Safety Authority of Ireland</a>
Open the interactive guide (checklist, video, read-aloud) →In plain words
- Choose a few foods you can make or source safely.
- Check the food rules where you live before selling.
- Tell customers what is in each food, including allergens.
- Add up your costs before choosing a price.
- Pack and deliver orders so the food stays safe.
Who it suits
Someone who enjoys making or sourcing food and is willing to manage safe preparation, clear product information, orders and delivery. It may suit a small home-based start, but check the rules for your location and type of food first.
People buy food online for convenience, choice or a product they enjoy. Clear descriptions, reliable food safety and dependable delivery can help customers decide to order again.
Step by step
- Choose a small menu to test. Pick a few foods you can prepare or source consistently. Write down ingredients, portion sizes, packaging needs and how customers will receive each order. About 1-2 hours.
- Check food rules in your area. Describe your food and planned activities to the relevant authority before you start. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, food businesses selling online may need local-authority registration; in Ireland, register with the appropriate competent authority before starting. GOV.UK Food Safety Authority of Ireland About 1-2 days to research; allow time for the authority's reply.
- Contact the authority and register. Explain what food you plan to sell and what you will make, store, handle or deliver. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, apply at least 28 days before trading; UK registration is free. In Ireland, the competent authority depends on the food and activities, so check with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland if you are unsure. GOV.UK Food Safety Authority of Ireland About About 1 hour to prepare the information, plus any authority processing time.
- Set up your food-safety routine. Write down how you will keep food safe during preparation, storage and delivery. UK businesses must use HACCP procedures or a HACCP-based food-safety management system; Irish guidance also requires a food-safety management system based on HACCP. GOV.UK Food Safety Authority of Ireland About 1-3 days.
- Prepare ingredient and allergen details. Make clear product information customers can read before ordering. Check the applicable food-labelling rules and how allergen information must be provided for your products. GOV.UK About 1-2 hours per menu item.
- Work out the full cost of each order. Add ingredients, packaging, payment charges and delivery costs. Use the total to decide a price and show delivery or other unavoidable charges clearly to customers. About 1-2 hours.
- Choose how customers will order and pay. Pick a simple website or social-media process and explain how customers place and pay for orders. Check platform charges before paying for a plan; Shopify's Ireland page lists Basic at €24 per month when billed yearly, plus an online card rate of 2% + €0.25, excluding VAT. Shopify About Half a day to compare and set up a basic process.
- Plan safe packing, storage and delivery. Choose packaging and a handover or delivery method that helps keep food safe. Keep supplier and order records; Irish guidance calls for traceability of food suppliers and food supplied to other businesses. Food Safety Authority of Ireland About 1-2 hours to plan and test.
- Test the process with a few orders. Run a small test, then ask customers what was clear or difficult. Update the menu, ordering instructions and delivery plan before you take more orders. About 1-2 weeks, depending on the test.
Your first 15 minutes
Choose one product to test, write down its ingredients and costs, and contact your local food authority to check the registration steps before taking orders.
The money
Add the cost of ingredients, packaging, payment charges and delivery for each order, then decide what amount you need to keep for your time and other business costs. Compare similar products as a sense-check, but do not set a price below your costs just to attract orders. Make delivery and other unavoidable charges clear before customers pay.
Example only: In one week, 10 orders at £12 each bring in £120; if ingredients, packaging, payment charges and delivery cost £45, £75 remains before tax and other costs. In euros, 10 orders at €12 bring in €120; with €45 in costs, €75 remains before tax and other costs.
The rules
You can sell food online in the UK and Ireland, but you must follow the food-business registration, safety and customer-information rules where you operate. If you’re unsure, contact the relevant local authority or food authority before you start trading.
UK and Northern Ireland
- Food registration. If you run a food business in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, you must register with your local authority. This includes selling online or from home. Register at least 28 days before you start trading. Registration is free. GOV.UK Food Standards Agency Food Standards Agency registration
- Food safety and allergens. You need a food-safety system based on HACCP, suitable food-hygiene training and allergen information. You do not have to get a food-hygiene certificate. Check with your local authority about your food and activities. GOV.UK
- Tax. The first £1,000 of your yearly trading income is covered by the trading allowance. This is your income before expenses. If you earn more, tell HMRC. If you need to use Self Assessment, register by 5 October after the tax year in which you started earning. GOV.UK Tax Help for Hustles GOV.UK
- Online customer rights. For online sales to consumers in Great Britain, give customers this information before they buy: your business name and contact details, product information, the total price and any other charges, payment and delivery arrangements, cancellation terms, and who pays return costs. Where cancellation rights apply, make the cancellation form available. The general cancellation period for goods is 14 days from the day after the customer receives them. Customers should return goods within 14 days of cancelling. You generally must refund them within 14 days of receiving the goods or proof of return. Unless you agree otherwise, deliver without undue delay and within 30 days. Goods that deteriorate quickly are among the exceptions, but do not assume every food product is exempt. UK Government guidance Regulation 30 Liverpool City Council
- Customer data. If you collect customer details, handle them carefully. Use the ICO's self-assessment tool to check whether you need to pay a data-protection fee. Not every sole trader has to pay. ICO
- Advertising and age. Clearly label commercial or affiliate posts, for example, with “Ad”. This section is for adults. There is no specific minimum legal age for selling food stated here. If you’re under 18, check the platform terms and ask your local authority before you start. Advertising Standards Authority
Ireland
- Food registration. Register your food business with the relevant authority before you start. You must register even if you work from home or sell only online. The right authority depends on your food and activities. If you’re unsure which authority applies, contact the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. Food Safety Authority of Ireland
- Food safety and traceability. Your food business must have a food-safety management system based on HACCP. You must also keep a traceability system for your food and suppliers. You may need approval to handle or process foods of animal origin. Check with the relevant authority about your products. Food Safety Authority of Ireland
- Tax. If you’re a PAYE worker, register for self-assessment using Form 11 if your taxable non-PAYE income is over €5,000 or your gross non-PAYE income is over €30,000. Below those limits, declare it on Form 12 through myAccount. Check your situation with Revenue or a tax adviser. Revenue
- Online customer rights. For online sales to consumers, give them your business name, physical address, phone number and email address before they buy. Also give them product details, the total price and extra charges, and information about cancellation rights. Where cancellation rights apply, provide a cancellation form and explain how to use it. The general cooling-off period for goods is 14 days from receipt. After telling you they want to cancel, the customer has a further 14 days to return the goods. Refunds are due within 14 days of you being told about the cancellation, but you can wait until you receive the returned items. Use the same payment method unless the customer agrees otherwise. Exceptions include personalised or made-to-order products and certain goods that cannot be returned for health or hygiene reasons. Check whether an exception applies to your food. CCPC CCPC FAQs
- Advertising and age. Clearly label commercial or affiliate content, for example, with “#Ad”. This section is for adults. There is no specific minimum legal age for selling food stated here. If you’re under 18, check the platform terms and ask the relevant food authority before you start. CCPC
Checked against official sources: 22 October 2026. Not yet reviewed by a qualified tax or legal adviser. General guidance, not legal advice. Check the official link beside each point before you start.
Common mistakes
- Starting to sell before checking registration and food-safety requirements.
- Offering too many products before you know the work and costs involved.
- Leaving ingredients, allergens, delivery charges or order details unclear.
- Forgetting packaging, payment charges or delivery when setting prices.
- Taking more orders than you can safely prepare and deliver on time.
AI-made demonstration: this module has a 20-second street-chat video in the interactive guide. The presenter and the people in it are computer-generated, not real people.