Page 7 | Sweet boxes on Facebook?! 🤢

Thewiseoneincognito · 2021-04-22T08:43:09+00:00

I’m a member on a local Facebook buy swap group and it’s constantly spammed with people selling pizza boxes filled with sweets often photographed on a fluffy dog hair infested rug. Does anyone else see them? *Does anyone even buy them?* The same with the strawberries dipped in chocolate that look absolutely disgusting are another thing I see a lot. What delights do you see on your FB groups?

SchrodingersImmigrant · 22/04/2021 16:16

[quote Gingerwhinger1]@CornishGem1975. I know, but there are countless messages on this thread asking were are the Hygiene Certificates. Hygiene certificates are pretty easy to get an can be passed by anyone with an ounce of common sense, they don't really mean anything.[/quote]
Well then they should have it. And pay vat like the rest. And insurance.

As pp said. Home run business exist and work, but they are all being undercut by these rougue ones who save quite a lot of money on cutting these corners.

sunflowersandbuttercups · 22/04/2021 16:17

Well then they should have it. And pay vat like the rest. And insurance.

I agree on hygiene certificates and insurance, but you don't need to pay VAT until you turnover £85k a year. Very, very few small businesses pay VAT as they just don't make anywhere near enough money.

KarensChoppyBob · 22/04/2021 16:18

I've never seen these monstrosities.

Mind you, I happily deactivated FB a few years ago now.

BlessedBeTheFruitCake · 22/04/2021 16:21

Least they’re wrapped but a fiver is a wee bit pricey for some treat size sweets.

IHateWinter88 · 22/04/2021 16:26

I have a neighbour that makes cakes at home. It's the BEST cake I've ever had and she's so popular, you have to order at the beginning of November if you want one for Christmas. Her Facebook looks a bit retro cause she's in her 50s and is caring for her disabled husband so she doesn't have time to make it look modern and learn how to make insta worthy photos. She's incredibly popular in spite of this.

FizzyApricot · 22/04/2021 16:27

@BlessedBeTheFruitCake

Least they’re wrapped but a fiver is a wee bit pricey for some treat size sweets.

But I could just go to the shop up the road and buy all that. What is the point!?

SchrodingersImmigrant · 22/04/2021 16:28

@sunflowersandbuttercups

Well then they should have it. And pay vat like the rest. And insurance.

I agree on hygiene certificates and insurance, but you don't need to pay VAT until you turnover £85k a year. Very, very few small businesses pay VAT as they just don't make anywhere near enough money.

Fair point on vat there.

Gingerwhinger1 · 22/04/2021 16:38

@SchrodingersImmigrant. You're missing the point of what I am saying and you don't need to pay VAT until you are earning over 85K.

BeenAsFarAsMercyAndGrand · 22/04/2021 16:40

If people are trying to earn money by putting sweets in a box, it doesn't bother me. It's not a health hazard if the sweets are packaged. If not packaged, then they need to be clear about the hygiene standards maintained.

What I really hate about this stuff is that it normalises binge eating. Unless it's being shared among a pretty big group of people, eating all the sweets in one of these boxes is a full-on binge. It's disordered eating.

Nobody's been having parties lately, so they're not being shared in big groups. No wonder we have obesity and health crises when bingeing and disordered eating is so normalised.

BeenAsFarAsMercyAndGrand · 22/04/2021 16:41

And it's definitely not the same as selling home-made jam!

Disfordarkchocolate · 22/04/2021 16:43

We have a lot of grazing boxes on ours. I really dont want to eat the strawberries that have been next to the sausage rolls and hot dogs. I only bought things from local shops that were open for takeaway

MammaSchwifty · 22/04/2021 16:48

This convenient afternoon tea box is pretty hygienic... you just have to bake the scones yourself!

EveryFlightBeginsWithAFall · 22/04/2021 16:49

I bought afternoon tea from the local pub during the first lockdown. I'm not sure I'd be wanting to buy from random on fb though!

Medusa1 · 22/04/2021 16:50

It seems that there's a "box" for everything. Sweet boxes, afternoon tea boxes, pamper and movie night boxes. And yes, I'm sure that the majority of sales are from friends who feel obliged to buy.

Oh and don't forget resin!

Im all for supporting local businesses but I'd rather support genuine local traders and not some one that's sat at home, splitting several multipacks of sweets or sachets of coffee and whacking the price up

Winterbaby21 · 22/04/2021 16:53

All of these posts have made me want afternoon tea.

KM38 · 22/04/2021 16:55

[quote sickofpainting]@EmbarrassingMama £15 for this bargain! [/quote]
@sickofpainting Jammy Dodgers AND mini Jammy Dogers too?! I’d be charging double 😉🤣
Looks absolutely vile!!

I find it really awful actually. I have a close friend who is an INCREDIBLE baker! The birthday cakes she makes are honestly gorgeous! Single mum, trying to make ends meet and huddle to show her son how to work hard. Persuaded her that she should look into getting her health certs etc to be able to make and sell the cakes which she would absolutely love to do. She couldn’t get licensed for it because she lives in a rented house 🙄 she would never do it without all proper insurances etc. Yet there’s people flinging handfuls of grubby sweets in boxes and just selling them anyway 😔

SchrodingersImmigrant · 22/04/2021 16:59

[quote Gingerwhinger1]@SchrodingersImmigrant. You're missing the point of what I am saying and you don't need to pay VAT until you are earning over 85K.[/quote]
Erm no. I said fair point.

LadyWhistledownsQuill · 22/04/2021 17:00

She couldn’t get licensed for it because she lives in a rented house 🙄

Living in a rented house per se is not a barrier - the only issue would be if the landlord refused to allow any modifications required (eg replacement of a poor quality floor that couldn't be cleaned properly). The council, insurers etc don't even ask if you're renting.

KM38 · 22/04/2021 17:05

@bombis

£25

@bombis Got to pay whoever stood and cut up those shop bought pies and sausage rolls I guess 🤷🏻‍♀️🤣🤣 £25 for that is horrific!

KM38 · 22/04/2021 17:10

@LadyWhistledownsQuill

She couldn’t get licensed for it because she lives in a rented house 🙄

Living in a rented house per se is not a barrier - the only issue would be if the landlord refused to allow any modifications required (eg replacement of a poor quality floor that couldn't be cleaned properly). The council, insurers etc don't even ask if you're renting.

@LadyWhistledownsQuill Not 100% sure what the issue was with it but she went through all the official steps to try and get her cert and couldn’t get it and it definitely had something to do with it being a rented property. Can’t imagine the landlord having been the issue though...she lives in an absolutely immaculate little house and has been given free reign by the landlords to change things as she pleases as she’s rented from them for years and is a great tenant for them 😊 I just find it sad when people trying to start a legitimate business can’t get these things for whatever reason and yet other people just do as they please and make a fortune 🙄

GreyhoundG1rl · 22/04/2021 17:13

I just find it sad when people trying to start a legitimate business can’t get these things for whatever reason and yet other people just do as they please and make a fortune 🙄
Sure, but her house being rented clearly wasn't the reason. Most premises are rented.

sunflowersandbuttercups · 22/04/2021 17:15

She couldn’t get licensed for it because she lives in a rented house

You don't need to own your home to get a license. She will have failed for something else. Pets are often a barrier to getting a license, for example, no matter how clean your kitchen is. You have to have a certain number of barriers between the pets and the kitchen and be able to guarantee the kitchen is kept free from hair etc.

CherryCherries · 22/04/2021 17:22

@Gingerwhiner1 it depends what the hygiene certificate is. You are right, you can get an online hygiene certificate for however much online, but it will say on the certificate "online" qualification etc.

Personally I would take an online hygiene certificate with a pinch of salt. I have the food hygiene level 3 which is a 3 day in depth course in a classroom followed by am exam after. I'm sure they offer such courses online but it won't be the same.

Those online courses are naff and the person can just look up the answer to pass the test at the end.

KM38 · 22/04/2021 17:24

@sunflowersandbuttercups

She couldn’t get licensed for it because she lives in a rented house

You don't need to own your home to get a license. She will have failed for something else. Pets are often a barrier to getting a license, for example, no matter how clean your kitchen is. You have to have a certain number of barriers between the pets and the kitchen and be able to guarantee the kitchen is kept free from hair etc.

@sunflowersandbuttercups Ahh that could very well be it then! She does have a cat 😊 although the kitchen is a completely separate room - no through access from other rooms. Not sure what the requirements are though. I never really thought of that as an issue to be honest...there’s a lady in my village who lives in a beautiful house but it has a big open living kitchen diner and she has 6 dogs 😬 she makes and sells wedding cakes from there by the bucket load 🤷🏻‍♀️

CherryCherries · 22/04/2021 17:29

Do these sellers even have HACCP in place?