Level 2 Food Hygiene and Safety for Retail

Duration 2-3 hours

Last audited 13th March 2023

CPD Approved RoSPA Approved IoH Approved
Level 2 Food Hygiene and Safety for 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

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

£20 +VAT

include vat

Includes a 10% discount for 10+ courses

By law, anybody who works with food must understand the principles of food hygiene and know how to keep food safe. This is essential for those who work in the retail sector of the food industry who must ensure that they protect their food from hazards and their consumers from harm.

This Level 2 course has been written by experts in the industry to ensure that you satisfy this legal requirement and know how to keep your customers safe. The content thoroughly covers topics relevant to food retailers, including how to identify food hygiene hazards, control contamination, and work in a way that ensures all food prepared, handled, and sold is safe to eat. You will learn about your responsibilities through a range of retail-specific interactive exercises, written text, and video content. Upon completion of this training, you will be confident in your food hygiene knowledge and have all the skills you need to keep people safe and comply with food hygiene law.

100% online training

Access anywhere

Same day digital certificate

Printed certificate posted next working day

Full audio voiceover

Unlimited assessment attempts

Matches RSPH and CIEH level 2 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

What you'll learn

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  • Recognise the consequences of poor food hygiene and safety and the principles of food safety management systems.
  • Explain your own and others’ responsibilities for food hygiene and safety in line with food safety law.
  • Identify food safety hazards and recognise how to prevent contamination of food.
  • Explain safe food preparation and storage practices.
  • Outline the importance of personal hygiene, effective cleaning practices and pest control.

Training you can trust

Course in action

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. Level 3 Food Hygiene and Safety in Retail training would be more appropriate for food business owners, managers and supervisory staff. This Level 2 training course is more suitable for staff in non-senior roles.

Employees 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. By taking our Level 2 Food Hygiene and Safety for Retail training course, employees will learn about food hygiene and the law, helping them to recognise and work towards best practice principles. The course will explain responsibilities, how to prepare, handle, store and serve food safely, as well as how to maintain high standards of food hygiene.

  • Course Content
  • Assessment
  • Suitable for

Module 1: Food Hygiene and Safety

This module outlines your responsibilities and the actions you must take to ensure you comply with food safety law. It explains what you can expect from your employer, HACCP and the purpose of food safety management systems and the role of enforcement officers.

Module 2: Microbial Hazards

This module covers the various microbial hazards you may encounter in food handling and how to prevent them. It also explains how to prevent cross-contamination and the differences between low-risk and high-risk foods.

Module 3: Physical, Chemical and Allergenic Hazards

This module details physical, chemical and allergenic hazards, the risks they pose to food safety and the ways in which you can prevent contamination from occurring.

Module 4: Food Storage

This module explains the importance of storing foods at the correct temperatures. It covers deliveries, how to correctly store different types of food, best before and use-by dates, stock rotation systems and food labelling requirements.

Module 5: Food Preparation

This module details how to safely prepare food, outlining the correct procedures for thawing, cooking and reheating food, the safe practices for hot and cold holding and how to manage hazards during food service and display.

Module 6: Personal Hygiene

This module highlights the importance of maintaining high personal hygiene standards. It includes the importance of effective hand washing procedures, other hygiene considerations, protective clothing, reporting illness and managing wounds and sores.

Module 7: Cleaning and Disinfection

This module highlights the importance of effective cleaning and disinfection. It explores how premises design can affect food safety, how to identify and control pests and the correct waste management procedures.

Once you have completed all of the online training material you will be able to take the online assessment. The assessment consists of 30 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.

By law, all food handlers are required to undertake training on how to carry out their role safely. This course is suitable for food handlers who sell food that is not necessarily consumed straight away. This includes, but is by no means limited to:

  • Market stalls
  • Farm shops
  • Grocery stores
  • Supermarkets
  • Butchers
  • Bakers
  • Fishmongers
  • Wholesalers
  • Delicatessens

If you are a manager or supervisor in any of the above sectors, then our Level 3 Food Hygiene For Retail Course is more suitable for you.


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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.

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