- Food companies with registered office in the national territory must have a registration with the competent authorities.
Food legislation in Spain establishes that food companies with registered offices in the national territory must have a registration with the competent authorities.
One of the requirements for health registration is that companies in the sector that produce, store, manipulate, transport or simply market food to third parties must enter the registration procedure. This point also includes all food industries, food transportation companies, packaging companies, distributors, importers and wholesale food warehouses, among others.
In addition, the following activities must also be registered:
- Catering companies (with or without facilities).
- Vending machine companies.
- Food importing/exporting companies.
- Manufacturers and importers of materials in contact with food.
What are the types of registration?
Depending on the sector and the phase of the food chain in which they carry out their activity, there are three types of registration:
Registration of companies dedicated to primary production and its related operations
They are organizations specialized in the manufacturing, breeding or cultivation of raw materials. They include the harvesting, milking process and raising of animals for consumption before slaughter. In addition, they include activities related to hunting, fishing and obtaining wild products.
To identify the type of activities under this registry, you can consult the information on the hygiene of primary production, related operations and subsequent stages of the food chain.
Registration of food establishments for service and sale of food products to the final consumer
These are businesses such as grocery stores, meat establishments, fishmongers, fruit shops, bakeries, beverage outlets, restaurants, cafes, hotels and school canteen services, as well as company canteens and celebration venues, among others. They may or may not offer home delivery services. Its area of influence is limited mainly at the local level, so its registration is linked to the autonomous jurisdiction.
Registration of companies and food establishments that carry out activities at a point in the food chain among those described in the previous sections
This registry is nationwide, known as General Health Registry of Food Companies, and its identification is the RGSEAA number. In this case, companies that do not have food facilities are registered, such as importers, distributors or companies that sell only online, as well as companies that produce and market materials in contact with food.
What is the registration procedure for food establishments and companies?
Both the first registration and subsequent modifications or cancellations of the registrations described in the previous point will be carried out before the competent authorities of the corresponding autonomous community, in accordance with the procedures established by them:
- in which the establishment is located or,
- where the registered office is located, in the case of a company without food facilities.
In conclusion, it is clear that all food companies are subject to food hygiene and safety control to avoid risks to consumers and users. Therefore, it is important that they communicate their activity from the beginning and are duly registered in the different registries, complying with all the regulations established by the state and regional authorities, as appropriate.
For more information about the health registry and processing processes, consult the following links of interest:
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