Do you need HACCP? Plain English for small kitchens
By the Daybook teamPublished 20 October 2026Last checked 20 October 2026
Covers: All four UK nations, with differences noted
The short answer
Yes, in the sense that every food business must have a food safety management system based on HACCP principles. For most small kitchens that means using a ready-made system such as SFBB, CookSafe or Safe Catering, rather than writing a full HACCP plan from scratch.
What HACCP means
HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point. It’s a way of thinking about food safety: work out what could go wrong at each step, decide which steps really matter, set limits, check them, and record what you do.
The principles, in kitchen language
| Principle | In a kitchen |
|---|---|
| Identify hazards | Bacteria, allergens, chemicals, bits of packaging |
| Find the critical control points | Cooking, chilling, hot holding, keeping allergens apart |
| Set limits | Cook to 70 °C for 2 minutes; fridges at 8 °C or below |
| Monitor | Probe the food; check the fridge |
| Correct problems | Cook longer; move food; throw it away |
| Verify | Check the system works; review it when things change |
| Keep records | Temperature logs, diary, training records |
What a small kitchen actually needs
- A food safety management system that matches what you really do
- Staff who know the checks and do them
- Records that show it’s happening
- A review whenever your menu, equipment or suppliers change
Free tools
SFBB (England and Wales), CookSafe (Scotland) and Safe Catering (Northern Ireland) are built on HACCP principles for small caterers. The Food Standards Agency’s MyHACCP tool helps you write a plan if you need your own.
A word on “HACCP certified”
Be wary of any product that calls itself “HACCP certified” or “HACCP compliant”. HACCP is something your business does; software can help you keep the records, but it can’t make you compliant on its own. Daybook makes no such claim.
Sources
- GOV.UK: food safety management systems
- GOV.UK: make an HACCP plan
- Food Standards Agency: MyHACCP
- GOV.UK: Safer food, better business (SFBB)
Rules can change and differ between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Check with your local authority food safety team if you’re unsure. Daybook helps you keep records. It does not give legal advice or certify training.
Keep this record on your phone
Inspection record, signed and dated.
Daybook is the food safety diary for UK kitchens. Staff sign each check on their own iPhone; the office reads the week and makes an inspection record for any dates.