Level 3 Food Hygiene and Safety in Retail

Duration 8-10 hours

Last audited 5th June 2023

CPD Approved RoSPA Approved IoH Approved
Level 3 Food Hygiene and Safety in Retail
For me
For teams
  • 100% online training

  • Start when you like

  • Learn on any device (desktop, mobile or tablet)

  • Instant assessment and result

  • 1 learner per course

  • Train teams of all sizes

  • Bulk discounts starting at 10% off 10 courses

  • Pay by invoice with 30 day payment terms available (5+ courses)

£130 +VAT

include vat

Includes a 10% discount for 10+ courses

If you are a manager or supervisor in a food retail establishment, then you have an important role to play in promoting food safety legislation in the workplace and encouraging other staff members to follow good hygiene practices. By law, all food handlers must be appropriately trained, and this Level 3 course aims to help managers and supervisors understand their essential day-to-day responsibilities, including how to implement the basics of a HACCP food safety management system.

The course provides knowledge of food hygiene practices and legal responsibilities and gives further detail on the controls that can be implemented to ensure that the food handling process is as safe and hygienic as possible. The course uses a variety of written text, interactive exercises, video content, and downloadable resources to provide learners with up-to-date knowledge of how to comply with, and uphold, food safety law.

100% online training

Access anywhere

Same day digital certificate

Printed certificate posted next working day

Full audio voiceover

Assessment retakes at no extra cost

Matches RSPH and CIEH level 3 syllabus

Meets UK and EU legal requirements for food handlers

Accepted by Local Authorities

Accredited by CPD, assured by RoSPA Qualifications and endorsed by the Institute of Hospitality

EHO approved training

Bulk discount for orders of 10+ courses

What you'll learn

By the end of this course learners will:

  • Understand why food hygiene and safety practices are essential for all food handlers in a retail environment.
  • Have awareness of the relevant food safety legislation and how it can be complied with.
  • Understand the different ways in which food can be contaminated and how these risks can be effectively controlled.
  • Have knowledge of the way that bacteria can affect food and make it unfit for consumption, plus know how to control the risk.
  • Understand the correct procedures for deliveries, storage and preservation of food and be able to state the safe temperatures for cooking, chilling and freezing food and know how to take accurate temperature readings.
  • Know that the premises must meet certain design standards and that work must occur in a way to promote good food hygiene and reduce the risk of contamination.
  • Understand the importance of cleaning schedules, managing waste and pest control.
  • Understand the basics of implementing a HACCP food safety management system and recognise the tools that can be used to do so.
  • Know what the law requires in regards to personal hygiene when working in a retail premises.
  • Understand the role of the supervisor in ensuring all staff are appropriately supervised, instructed and/or trained in food hygiene.

Training you can trust

Why take this course?

Over 2 million cases of foodborne illness occur in the UK every year. The risk of illnesses from food increases when workers involved in the preparation, handling and serving of food do not have the information or training necessary to enable them to work safely and hygienically.

Food businesses have a legal responsibility to protect consumers from food that is damaging to health, from receiving food that is not of the nature, substance or quality which consumers expect and from food that is labelled, advertised and presented in a way that is false or misleading. Failure to comply with your duties and responsibilities as a food business may result in action being taken against you by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) or other enforcement agencies. By completing our Level 3 Food Hygiene and Safety in Retail training course, food business owners, managers and supervisory staff will learn how to comply with food safety legislation and develop advanced knowledge of food hygiene principles and best practice procedures. The course will explain senior responsibilities, how to implement a food safety management system and how to maintain high standards to ensure safe and hygienic food handling.

Employees in non-senior roles involved in the preparation, handling and serving of food can be at risk of causing foodborne illnesses if the risks are not managed effectively. Food businesses must provide employees with information, instruction and training suitable to the work that they are carrying out. This will ensure that they understand the food safety legislation and practices in place, helping to protect the health and safety of themselves and others. Level 2 Food Hygiene and Safety for Retail training would be more appropriate for non-senior staff who have no supervisory duties.

  • Course Content
  • Assessment
  • Suitable for

Module 1: Introduction and Supervising Food Safety

Key terms, why is food safety important?, which foods cause illness?, who is most at risk?, roles of responsibility.

Module 2: Food Safety Legislation

Food hygiene and the law, food safety management systems, enforcing the law, working with authorised officers, notices, fines and prosecution, due diligence, supervisor responsibilities, investigating outbreaks of food-borne illness.

Module 3: Physical Contamination

Physical contamination, the 6 Ps, controlling physical contamination, detecting contaminants.

Module 4: Chemical Contamination and Non-Bacterial Food Poisoning

Chemical contamination, acrylamide, scombrotoxic food poisoning, poisonous ingredients, metals, mycotoxins, food safe packaging, chemical food poisoning, controlling chemical contamination.

Module 5: Allergenic Contamination

What is a food allergy?, anaphylactic shock, the 14 named food allergens, allergen labelling laws, Natasha’s Law, allergenic cross-contamination, controlling allergenic contamination, allergen policy, allergens and food deliveries, allergens in food distribution and storage.

Module 6: Microbial Contamination

Why is microbial contamination a risk?, food spoilage, bacterial growth, bacterial spores, toxins, cross-contamination, controlling microbial contamination, cooking instructions.

Module 7: Food Poisoning and Food-Borne Diseases

What is food poisoning?, Salmonella, Clostridium perfringens, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli (E.coli), Clostridium botulinum, food borne diseases, Campylobacter enteritis, Escherichia coli 0157, Listeriosis, Typhoid and Paratyphoid, Dysentery (Shigella), viral contamination.

Module 8: Food Deliveries, Storage and Preservation

Food deliveries, reputable suppliers, traceability, stock control, use by dates, best before dates, food storage, food service and display, types of food preservation, methods of preservation.

Module 9: Temperature Control

Safe temperatures, fridge temperature, freezer temperature, seasonal weather, cooking temperature, reheating food, cooling food, cold and hot holding, cook-chill, cook-freeze, measuring equipment, how to take food temperatures, taking food temperatures correctly, air temperature.

Module 10: Premises and Equipment Design

The principles of design, suitable workplace materials, lighting and ventilation, utilities, work equipment, fixtures and fittings, food storage areas.

Module 11: Waste Management and Cleaning

Storing waste, waste removal, waste review, benefits of cleaning, supervising cleaning, types of cleaning, six stages of cleaning, cleaning chemicals, cleaning work equipment and surfaces, cleaning schedules.

Module 12: Pest Control

Pest control and the law, common pests, stored product pests, animal pests, controlling pests, environmental, chemical and physical controls, pest control documentation.

Module 13: Implementing a Food Safety Management System

What is HACCP?, prerequisite procedures, the 12-step process, TACCP & VACCP, the 12-steps and 7 principles of HACCP, recording and labelling.

Module 14: Personal Hygiene

Why is personal hygiene important?, upholding and monitoring standards, standards of personal hygiene, handwashing, skin infections and wounds, sickness, returning to work, protective clothing, hair, jewellery and perfume, smoking and eating at work.

Module 15: Training Staff

Why is training important?, levels of training, staff induction training, on-going training, staff training records, food safety culture and whistleblowing, the role of management.

Once you have completed all of the online training material you will be able to take the online assessment. The assessment consists of 45 multiple choice questions with a pass mark of 80%. The answers are marked instantly so you will know whether you have passed as soon as you finish.

If you don't pass the assessment you can review the course material and take the assessment again as many times as necessary at no extra charge.

This Level 3 Food Hygiene and Safety in Retail course is suitable for managers and supervisors in all types of food retail establishments, including market stalls, farm shops, grocery stores, supermarkets, butchers, bakers, fishmongers, wholesalers and delicatessens.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs states that food handlers must be trained in food hygiene matters ‘commensurate with their work activities.’ This course ensures that you comply with this regulation by providing learners with detailed knowledge of food safety principles. It gives instruction on how to promote best practice in the workplace and explains the basics of implementing an effective food safety management system based on the principles of HACCP.

If you are a food handler below the level of manager or supervisor then our Level 2 Food Hygiene and Safety for Retail course is designed for your requirements.


Unsure which Food Hygiene course is right for you?

  • Use our course selector to find the most appropriate training for your needs.

Written by experts

Paul Turner, Senior Environmental Health Officer

In partnership with

Paul Turner

Senior Environmental Health Officer

Paul Turner is a Senior Environmental Health Officer at North Yorkshire Council with a great passion for the highest standards of food safety. As well as holding a degree in Environmental Health and a HND in Applied Science (Biology) Paul has completed the following: Certificate of Registration with Environmental Health Officers Registration Board, Assessment of Professional Competence (CPD), ISO 9000:2000 Lead Auditor qualification and has Chartered status from CIEH.

Paul has 30 years of experience in the sector working for local authorities and is on the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) working group and is a Local Authority member of the FSA group contributing to their Register a Food Business (RAFB) service.

Paul is an experienced public speaker on food safety who has developed and delivered training on behalf of the Food Standards Agency and others in the sector as he continues his drive to ensure the highest standards of food safety.

Course reviews