FSS approved establishments

Approval of meat plants

EU member states must publish lists of approved establishments, each corresponding to a different food sector. Under food hygiene legislation, meat plants require our approval to operate, unless they benefit from specific exemptions.

We’re responsible for approving slaughterhouses, cutting plants and game handling establishments, as those facilities require the presence of an Official Veterinarian. If a plant also has on-site cold stores, minced meat, meat preparation or meat products establishments, we need to approve these too. However, if they’re stand-alone establishments, your local authority will assess them.

Scottish Manual for Official Controls

The Scottish Manual for Official Controls (SMOC) gives you details of the tasks, responsibilities and duties of our staff and veterinary contractors in approved establishments.

• Access the Meat Industry Guide.
• For premises approved by Local Authorities, visit our Local Authority Approvals page

Approved establishments in Scotland

Food Standards Scotland (FSS) approve red and white meat slaughter houses, game handling establishments and cutting plants. If co-located with the previous mentioned operations FSS also approves other activities in relation to products of animal origin. See the full list of approved establishments.

Applying for approval

A food business can’t be considered for approval until we’ve carried out an assessment, a veterinary manager has made a recommendation, and the approval documentation has been issued to the food business operator.

To apply for approval to operate as a slaughterhouse, cutting plant or game handling establishment, please complete the approval form or email approvals@fss.scot for an application pack.

When we are in receipt of the completed application and all supporting documentation, the Approvals team will make arrangements for a mutually agreed time for the veterinary manager to visit your establishment. The assessment visit will cover all structural, equipment, HACCP and hygiene requirements, and food businesses will have to meet all the relevant legal requirements of both Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 and Regulation (EC) No 853/2004.

Official controls charging

From 31 March 2025, the undertaking of all approval activity in meat establishments will be charged at an hourly rate of £110.34. This will include time spent by the officer on preparation, visiting establishments and report writing. Travel time is not directly chargeable to the individual Food Business Operator (FBO) but is accounted for in the hourly charge. More information can be found in the charging guide. Please note, the hourly charge rate is subject to change through an annual review and may increase/decrease during the approval process. 

FBO audit appeals process

If the premises are refused approval, you have a right to appeal to a sheriff against our decision. This is in accordance with Regulation 12 of the Official Feed and Food Controls Regulations 2009, as amended. The time limit for lodging an appeal is one month from the date of the decision.

Operations team
4th Floor
Food Standards Scotland
Pilgrim House
Old Ford Road
Aberdeen AB11 5RL

Email: openness@fss.scot
Tel: 01224 285100

If a FBO is dissatisfied with the outcome of an audit or any findings in the audit report once received from the Audit Business Executive, the FBO has the right of appeal in line with the following procedure:

STAGE 1

The FBO should, in the first instance, contact the auditor and try resolve any misunderstanding or dissatisfaction informally with them. This can be either written or oral, at the choice of the appellant.

STAGE 2

If a FBO, or their representative, did not have their concerns addressed via the stage 1 process, they can escalate to the FSS Head Veterinarian (HV) at: elena.gafenco@fss.scot

The FBO, or their representative, should clearly identify which sections of the audit report they are appealing against and give objective evidence to support the claim that the auditor’s assessment is incorrect. Any such action (and evidence) should be submitted in writing within 14 calendar days of receiving the auditor’s response from stage 1 process. Appeals which are not supported with objective evidence may be rejected or further evidence requested. The Head Veterinarian will make a decision based on the evidence provided and communicate back to the FBO within another 14 calendar days.

STAGE 3

If the FBO remains unsatisfied with the outcome of the Stage 2, a formal appeal can be raised in writing with the FSS Head of Operational Delivery (HOD) within 14 days from the receipt of the stage 2 outcome, at: bryan.campbell@fss.scot 

The HOD will make a decision within 14 calendar days. The outcome will be communicated to the FBO in writing, copying in the HV and the auditor.

Withdrawal of approval

We need to ensure that all food business operators of approved meat establishments are producing meat safely. Where we find this is not the case, we can recommend prompt withdrawal of approvals as the ultimate sanction.

Audit reports of meat establishments