Temporary sales and mobile food premises
Temporary sales, and outdoor sales in particular, often involve more risks than similar operations indoors in permanent food premises.
The operator must ensure product safety in all conditions, and responsibility cannot by avoided by citing the conditions. If the operations involve special risks, e.g. perishable food is handled, this must be taken into consideration in the requirements and control for the conditions. The food control authority has the final say in whether the operations meet the requirements.
Selling and serving food without a notification
A private individual, an association or similar does not need to submit a notification about temporary and low-risk sales or serving of food, such as grilling sausages, serving coffee or selling biscuits. Similarly, pop-up restaurant activities are possible on some conditions.
In addition to this, private individuals may sell berries, mushrooms and herbs at their home or at a market or deliver them to local retailers. Persons growing plants for home consumption can also sell their products without a notification.
Environmental Health Services’ instructions for temporary sales
Please read the Porvoo Environmental Health Services’ instructions for temporary sales before selling or serving products.
Professional operator
Sales from a mobile sales point require that the operations be registered, i.e. Food Control is notified of the operations.
Once the movable food premises is registered with the Food Control in the municipality of residence, the operator may also engage in sales/serving in other locations in suitable outdoor sales areas. The activity must be authorised by the landowner. Food control authorities in other regions must be informed no later than four working days in advance.
In the area monitored by Porvoo Environmental Health Services (Askola, Pornainen, Sipoo, Myrskylä, Porvoo, Pukkila, Loviisa and Lapinjärvi), the notification can be made using the ‘Notification of food sales’ form.
If you run registered permanent food premises, such as a restaurant, in the region of Porvoo Environmental Health Services and you wish to also serve food elsewhere, please contact your local health inspector.
Large public events
A large public event is one where at least 500 visitors are expected to attend at the same time.