Home Made Chutney - Can I sell it at a car boot sale?

[Wisteria]

What are the rules regarding selling home made produce?

I have made oodles of chutney and wanted to make some extra pennies for Christmas so thought I'd ask if I am able to sell it legally or not?

If I can't, then how would you suggest I get rid of it?

bump

I woulnd't buy things like that from a boot sale, sorry - I would at a church tea sale or craft fair

(not what you were wanting to hear, sorry!)

Is your local school having a Christmas craft fair in the next couple of weeks? You and I think alike Wisteria. I have loads of jams and chutneys I would like to sell to make money (and boost my self-esteem) but I have never dared to try it yet. The nearest I came was at the school craft fair last year...

Of course, the obvious alternative is to give your chutney as Christmas presents so you need less money for Christmas!

Hana - what's the difference?

DG - that's a fine idea, I will scour the local press. The real question though was, is it legal or do you need to prove you haev completed 300 courses in health, hygiene etc etc these days!?

There are plenty of people out there who will buy at a boot sale, that's not the prob, I just don't want to get told off by some inspector IYSWIM...

The majority of my family don't like chutney unfortunately except my Dad, who makes his own!

I guess at a boot sasle people are looking for a bargin - cheap stuff, but at teas and craft fairs it's a different market
but good lukc!

I've seen quite a few people selling chutney/jam etc at car boot sales. I'd buy it if the jars looked professional and attractive, not if they were tatty recycled jars. Not much logic in that I know. Don't know about hygiene rules though - sorry.

Ooh, look WI food hygiene guidelines in the blue download box on the right.

Ah hah!!

Thank you Prof. It seems that I am ok as long as I label stuff up then!

....and I am using recycled jars, is there really a huge problem with that? It wouldn't bother me and I'm going to put some nice material on top, fancy labels on side so they'll still look good....Anyone else think that's wrong?? - need a straw poll and then if it is wrong then they can go to friends who've had it before!

I really dont know if it is wrong or not Wisteria. I suppose you could try covering yourself by making it perfectly clear you are selling homemade goods. I think a school/church craft fair would be a better place to try this. I also use recycled jars (what else?) and worry about the fact that once my fancy cloth label has been removed, the customer would see "Wilkins" or some other brand name on the lid.

• was just bottling up some green tomato and putting them into 2 piles on the back of what you said actually

I have the odd 'Doritos' dip in the pile that will be gifted up for friends at Christmas; then the less obvious ones which don't have any branding on (although they are all 'bought' jars)for possible sale. My friend brings whatever she has as I don't get a great deal of that kind of thing!

If I do it, I'll let you know how I get on

There's a difference between recycled jars and tatty recycled jars Cloth top and nice label would be OK with me.

Phew! You had me worried there

So, I was thinking, dark jewel coloured fabric for tops and then posh calligraphy, done on computer labels obv as I am not artistic and would no doubt end up selling Home Made Chutn if I wrote it myself (no concept of perspective or space here); listing in tiny writing what I have put in and stating non-gm ingredients.

I'm going to do it, I really am!

Thanks for all your help!

You must get back to us (well me actually!) and tell me how it went. Also, what are you planning on charging per jar? And if, like m, your jars are all different sizes, how will you get round that problem? Different prices for each jar, or sell the larger ones first so that later customers won't know that they are getting less for their money?

Also, talk me through computer labels. I know such a thing exists as my father uses them for address labels, but where do you get them?

computer labels

Charging; not sure, probably just stick individual prices on, will range from £3.50 to £1.50 I think....

Shocking postage costs on those labels....

Please let me know how it goes if you go ahead with it. This really is something I could do and keep thinking about doing so I am very interested to hear other people's experiences.

I wouldn't buy them, was just googling for an example - my dp will get them from work for me