Markets, events and fundraising

If food is sold more than once in a calendar year that is not for fundraising purposes, the activity is subject to registration under the Food Act 2014. You must sell safe and suitable food.

If you sell food at a single one-off event only once in a calendar year, your only requirement is to ensure you make safe and suitable food.

If you sell food at markets or events more than once a year, there are some other steps you need to take, and you're likely to need to register as a food business.

If you would like to sell food to raise money for charity you need to sell food that is safe and suitable to eat.

What else you have to do to comply with the Food Act 2014 depends on the circumstances.

You don't have to register under the Act if you're selling food:

• to raise funds for a charity, cultural or community group less than 20 times a year
• provided by members of sports clubs, social clubs or marae – where food is not the purpose of the event
• once in a calendar year at an event such as a local fair.
  

However, you will have to register under the Act if you're:

• fundraising more than 20 times a year
• catering events at clubs, or selling food at club bars or restaurants
• bartering or exchanging food commercially
• selling food commercially at fairs, markets, or community events more than once a year.
  

View the Food Act 2014 for more information.