Are you planning to open a food retail store? This guide provides essential steps to help you get started.
Image: Tussitaikurit Oy
Establishing a food retail store
Find suitable premises
Once you have found a space that seems suitable for your planned food business, check with the municipal building control authority to ensure the premises can be used as a food store. Alternatively, find out whether the premises can be modified to suit your plans. If modifications are possible, apply for a building permit for the renovation. Remember to consider accessibility requirements during the renovation.
Also check with the housing company to confirm that operating a food store is permitted at the property. At this stage, it is also advisable to contact the municipal food control authority. You can consult with the local food inspector to ensure the premises are suitable for your intended use.
The premises must meet the requirements for food operations. Structural requirements may vary depending on whether you plan to prepare and sell unpackaged food on-site. A preparation kitchen must have adequate workspace for food handling. The requirements depend on the type of food you intend to produce. The kitchen must have sufficient amount of separate water points and space for handwashing, as well as for washing foodstuffs and utensils. There must also be a dressing room for the staff and adequate number of staff toilets, and enough space for cleaning equipment maintenance and storage.
Plan your operations to match the premises
Develop a practical plan for receiving and storing food products for sale, as well as raw materials used in the preparation kitchen. Foods and frozen products requiring hot or cold storage have specific temperature requirements that vary by product. Ensure you have enough refrigeration units with appropriate temperature settings.
When selling unpackaged food, store ready-to-eat products and cook-before-eating products separately. When planning activities, facilities, and equipment, consider the requirements for preventing cross-contamination—especially regarding substances that may cause allergies or intolerances.
Submit a food business registration notification
Submit a food business registration notification to the food control authority of the municipality where your store is located no later than four (4) weeks before starting operations.
You must also submit a notification if there is a significant change in operations or if the business is closing. You can submit the notification online via the environmental health e-notification service (ilppa), or by completing a form available from your municipal food control authority. The authority will register your food operations based on the notification, and your business will then be subject to regular food inspections. A fee will be charged for both the registration and the inspections, in accordance with the tariff of the municipality.
Other permits
If necessary, apply for permits to sell products regulated under the Tobacco Act and the Medicines Act from your municipal environmental health control unit, and for alcoholic beverage sales from the Finnish Supervisory Agency. More information is available on their websites. Also remember to contact the Fire and Rescue Authorities before opening the store.
If you plan to sell the following foodstuffs, please note:
- If a product or one of its ingredients has not been used as human food to a significant extent in the EU before 15 May 1997, it may be considered a novel food. Novel foods require authorisation before being placed on the market. Pay particular attention to this if selling foods imported from non-EU countries.
- If you sell food supplements, foods fortified with vitamins and/or minerals, infant formulae, or dietary foods for special medical purposes, ensure that the manufacturer, responsible party, or importer has submitted the required notifications to the Finnish Food Authority.
Requirements for personnel
Personnel who handle unpacked, perishable foods are required to have hygiene passports, appropriate work clothing and a health status statement for salmonella infection. Perishable foods include products such as meat, fish, grated carrots and fresh sausages.
Plan your own-check activities
Own-check activities are your store’s internal risk management system. Describe your operations and plan in advance how to manage risks and implement corrective actions.
The more food hygiene risks the operations of your store involve, the more comprehensive your own-check system must be. Own-check activities include record-keeping. You can create your own plan or use a ready-made template for planning the own-check activities.
Important everyday considerations
- Handle, store, and transport food hygienically. Protect products and keep premises clean. Prevent contamination by microbes or foreign substances. Store allergenic ingredients separately from other foods.
- Store each food products at appropriate temperatures and conditions.
- Ensure temperature control is maintained during the transport of foodstuffs. The cold chain must not be interrupted at any stage.
- Use only materials suitable for food contact to prevent harmful chemicals from entering food.
- Ensure all food products have accurate and sufficient information. Do not sell items lacking mandatory packaging labels in Finnish and, when required, in Swedish.
- Use only approved nutrition and health claims in marketing. Do not mislead consumers.
- Ensure traceability of food and ingredients at every stage of production, preparation, and distribution.
- Know how to act in a recall situation if a food product is found or suspected to be unsafe.
- Remember to notify the municipal authority about your online store.
Remember that as a food business operator, you are responsible for ensuring that the food is safe, traceable, and accompanied with correct and adequate information.
More information
Finnish Food Safety Authority — Food sector