FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• Who is eligible for SALSA Approval? Small and micro food producers and suppliers who operate from commercial premises (not domestic) in the UK, Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. See our eligibility guide – Which SALSA Standard? to see what's best for your business.

• What does it cost to join SALSA and become SALSA Approved? Full pricing is available here

• How long does it take to become SALSA Approved? This depends on how ready you are to take your audit. Typically, after preparing for your audit (and paying for your audit and membership), approval takes between 1 and 3 months. To learn more about the process, please see SALSA’s Steps to Approval guide.

• How do I arrange an audit? We match our members to local auditors with the appropriate sector qualifications and experience. Once payment has been received we will assign an auditor to you, based on our allocation policy. They will then make contact with you directly to arrange a mutually convenient date. 

• How often am I audited? Annually. Your anniversary date is set on the date of your first audit. To ensure continual certification you should take your next audit within the audit window stated on your SALSA certificate.  

• What happens on the day of my audit? A SALSA audit typically takes approximately 5-6 hours. The auditor will inspect the premises and production and review your food safety management system against the SALSA standard. A nominated responsible person will need to accompany the auditor at all times.

• Can I postpone my audit? You have up to 12 months to take your first audit. Once a date is agreed you may postpone your audit twice, as long as you give your auditor at least 3 full working days’ notice. Please see SALSA’s Audit Postponement Policy.  

• How do I know if I have been approved? Following your audit, SALSA will make the approval decision, and notify you of this decision. Please see SALSA’s Steps to Approval guide

• Can I fail a SALSA Audit? Yes, if you do not provide sufficient evidence that you comply with the SALSA standard - either at audit or when sending evidence in to close out actions raised at audit.

• What happens if I don’t agree with your findings? You are entitled to follow the appeal procedure which is detailed in the SALSA’s Complaints, Conflicts and Appeals document.

• Is my audit report available to buyers? No, the details of your audit are confidential. Buyers may ask you for your audit report and the decision to share this is yours.

• What happens if my business moves? Your SALSA Certificate is only valid for the site where the audit took place.  The address is on your certificate and can only be changed if you have another audit at the new premises.  If you are planning to move please contact the SALSA Team.

• Can I use the SALSA Logo? Yes, it’s free for approved members but terms and conditions apply. Members can login to the SALSA website to download the official logo pack.

• Which UK buyers recognise SALSA?  SALSA Approval is recognised by a growing list of over 1500 registered UK buyers. Take a look at SALSA’s supporters to find out more

• Can I combine my SALSA and STS audit? STS is no longer in operation, Micron 2 have taken over STS’s Supplier Assurance Function for public procurement channels, eg the NHS. They will continue to do the desktop review of SALSA audit reports (you will need to submit your report to them for approval).
• If you supply the National Trust(NT) this function has been taken over by Food Alert. Please get in touch with your NT contact for further details