The UK bakery market is worth a staggering £4.4 billion which is one of the largest in the UK food industry. Baked goods are a staple in almost all UK households. Plus, with shows such as the Great British Bake Off being a renowned hit for the majority of the UK population, the baking profession has seen a rise of up to 230% to year 2021. This was calculated by using the increase in home baking insurance policies that have been issued.

When you think about baking, insurance isn’t often the first thing that comes to mind, but there are many responsibilities that come with being a baker (with insurance being just one of them). As with all professions, rules and regulations are ever changing in our evolving society. That is why CPD is so important.

CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development and is required to stay up to date with rules, regulations and best practices in your industry. CPD training is the process of acquiring new skills, knowledge and experience to help you stay up to date and ahead in your chosen field. A range of activities can be classed as CPD training such as attending industry conferences, taking courses, participating in webinars, e-learning, reading books, and engaging with mentors. It helps you to stay abreast of best practices, innovations and trends in your field, so you can remain competitive and relevant.

Continuing Professional Development keeps bakers up to date on the latest trends and techniques, enabling them to produce the highest quality products and remain a top choice for customers. Additionally, it helps bakers stay ahead of food safety regulations and best practices which are ever evolving in society. This ensures that products meet the highest standards of quality and safety which is extremely important for customers, especially those with food allergies and intolerance. Bakers also have strict food hygiene standards to adhere to which can all be learned through CPD training.

In the UK, bakers need to comply with a number of different regulations and pieces of legislation. These include:

• The Food Safety Act 1990 – this covers all aspects of food health and safety.
• Food Hygiene (England) Regulations 2006 – this sets out the requirements for food safety and hygiene.
• The General Food Regulations 2004 – this requires bakers to accurately label their products.
• Allergen Information Regulations 2014 – this requires bakers to include allergen information on the labels of foods they sell.
• Weights and Measures Act 1985 – this requires bakers to accurately measure and label the weights of the products they sell.

The list above is just some of the regulations that bakers must meet. Legislation is ever changing, and CPD can help bakers to keep abreast of it.

Some CPD Online College courses we provide that can suit a baker include:

• Allergen Awareness – This provides knowledge on allergies and intolerance as these have life-changing impacts on customers. This course can help bakers understand food allergens and how to avoid cross-contamination.
• Food Safety and Hygiene for Catering – This course teaches best practices when working in the catering industry and helps bakers to meet UK regulations. The course has been approved by the Institute of Hospitality (the largest body for people working in hospitality). It also has approval from Environmental Health Officers, and local authorities, and covers all relevant legislation.
• Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point – This course provides a preventative approach to food safety to prevent illness and injury to customers. It highlights what can potentially go wrong in the kitchen and how to mitigate this. It is a requirement for all bakers to have policies on food safety management and this course can introduce these to you.
• Improving your Food Hygiene Rating – This course explains the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme and what Environmental Health Officers look for during an inspection. It covers your rights following inspection and how to get your rating improved.