Specialist food law training for food businesses and enforcement professionals
Helping food businesses understand and comply with UK food law — and supporting the enforcement officers who regulate them. Authoritative, practical training grounded in over two decades of experience.
The people behind the training
ABC Food Law Compliance is run by Andy and Sharon Bowles, bringing together decades of enforcement, academic, and legal expertise.
Dr Andy Bowles
BSc (Hons), MSc, PhD, FIFST, FCIEH
Director — Author & Lead TrainerAndy has worked in the field of food safety for over forty years. He holds first degrees in Life Science and Environmental Health, a Master's degree in Microbiology, and a PhD in Food Law. His career spans Quality Assurance Manager in the dairy industry, Acting Head of Environmental Health for a London Borough, and university lecturer delivering both undergraduate and postgraduate food modules.
Since 2002, Andy has been the main provider of food law training to local authority enforcement officers across the UK, delivering hundreds of training sessions on topics including FHRS consistency, imported food, food law enforcement, approved establishments, food labelling, and dairy products. He helped develop the FSA's MyHACCP tool for food businesses and assisted in the FSA's audit of local authorities. He is the author and sole deliverer of all webinars and training resources on this platform — every recording, article, and quiz in the library reflects his direct experience and deep knowledge of the food law framework.
Andy holds a current solicitor's practising certificate but does not conduct any reserved legal activities or provide legal services to clients.
Sharon Bowles
FRSA BSc (Hons), LLB (Hons), LLM
DirectorSharon qualified as a solicitor in 1999 having trained in a London local authority. She has since worked in local government, in private practice acting for local authority and public sector clients, and now as in-house lawyer for ABC Food Law.
Sharon holds a current solicitor's practising certificate but does not conduct any reserved legal activities or provide legal services as a solicitor for clients.
Practical expertise, not just theory
ABC Food Law Compliance was founded with a single purpose: to make high-quality food law training accessible to everyone who needs it — from food business operators and technical managers to local authority enforcement officers. Food law is complex, constantly evolving, and the consequences of getting it wrong can be serious for businesses, consumers, and officers alike.
Our training is built by practitioners for practitioners. Every webinar, article, and resource in our library draws on real-world experience, current legislation, and the practical realities of operating within the UK food law framework. We do not offer generic compliance training — we offer deep, specialist knowledge of food law as it applies in England, Wales, and Scotland.
ABC Food Law has been the main provider of food law training to local authority enforcement officers since 2002. That long-standing relationship with the enforcement community means our training reflects not only what the law says, but how it is applied and interpreted in practice — invaluable knowledge for any food business seeking to stay compliant.
The full breadth of food law
Our training spans the complete food law framework, from foundational principles to highly technical specialist areas — relevant to food businesses and enforcement professionals alike.
Food Hygiene & Safety
Regulation (EC) 852/2004, HACCP principles, temperature control, microbiological standards, and the food safety requirements that apply to all food businesses.
Food Standards & Labelling
Food Information Regulations 2014, allergen labelling, nutrition and health claims, country of origin, and compositional standards that food businesses must meet.
Food Fraud & Authenticity
Understanding food fraud risks, adulteration, and mislabelling — including how businesses can protect themselves and how enforcement agencies investigate suspected fraud.
Imports & Exports
Official controls at borders, import conditions, third-country equivalence, and the regulatory framework post-EU Exit — essential knowledge for businesses trading internationally.
Approved Establishments
Approval and monitoring of meat, dairy, egg, and fishery product establishments under retained EU legislation — covering both operator obligations and official controls.
Enforcement & Official Controls
How food law is enforced in practice — inspection methodology, sampling, improvement notices, and prosecution — helping food businesses understand what to expect and how to prepare.
Please note: ABC Food Law Compliance provides training and educational resources only. We do not provide legal advice and our services do not constitute reserved legal activities as defined in the Legal Services Act 2007. We are not authorised by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and do not offer legal services to the food trade. For legal advice, please consult a qualified solicitor.
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