Online food sales

Although buying food online offers great convenience, it also has the potential to introduce serious health and safety risks if food products do not meet requirements for food safety and consumer protection.

Online food sales present the highest food safety risk if:

• businesses are not licensed or inspected
• operators do not have appropriate training or equipment needed to ensure food safety
• the food being sold could support the growth of disease-causing bacteria or viruses when not prepared, handled or stored properly (increases the risk of contamination and food-borne illness)

High risk foods include meat, poultry, fish, seafood, sliced fruit and vegetables, milk, yogurt, cheese, eggs, cooked rice or any combination of these.

To sell food online, you must have a food premises licence. Third party delivery services do not require a licence but should follow best management practices for keeping food safe during delivery and only obtain food from licensed food premises. Examples of food premises include restaurants, convenience stores, bakeries, grocery stores, butcher shops, delicatessens, catering facilities, take-outs, food processing/production and food trucks. 

If your business imports food, exports it to another country or prepares or manufactures food and ships across provincial borders, you must follow federal requirements under the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations. 

If you or your business wants to prepare and sell food online, a food premises licence will be required. 

Never assume that all food available for purchase online meets requirements. There are several ways customers can stay safe while shopping for food online:

• be aware of false claims and food misrepresentation – professional looking websites and labels do not necessarily mean the operation is legal
• subscribe to get the latest food safety recalls and safety alerts
• check if they have a business licence or have been inspected by New Brunswick’s Health Protection Services or the Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Consumers can also visit the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s website for more information about e-commerce and online food sales.