What do you need to sell food online legally in Romania?
To sell food online legally in Romania you need a legal form with the right activity code, a sanitary-veterinary authorization, allergen labelling and the mandatory documents on the site. Below are the essential elements, in the order you set them up before your first order.
Short answer
- A legal form with a food-service activity code, e.g. restaurants, catering or food retail.
- A sanitary-veterinary authorization from the food-safety authority for the preparation and storage space.
- Allergen labelling for each dish, in line with EU Regulation 1169/2011.
- Documents on the site: terms, a privacy policy and, where applicable, a return policy.
- The consumer-protection links, the final VAT-inclusive price and a fiscal document (receipt or invoice) on every order.
What the law says (in brief)
- The right activity code: restaurants, contract catering or food retail, depending on what you do.
- A sanitary-veterinary (DSVSA) authorization for the space where you prepare and store food.
- Allergens: the 14 mandatory allergens shown per dish (EU Reg. 1169/2011).
- Disclosure and GDPR: the company details, the final VAT-inclusive price, the delivery cost and a privacy policy.
Practical example
Example: a patisserie that delivers cakes needs the right activity code for pastry production, a food-safety authorization for the lab, allergens shown on each dessert (eggs, gluten, nuts) and the consumer-protection link in the footer. A food truck adds the authorization for the mobile unit. Without these, they risk a fine at the first check.
Common mistakes
- Launching without the sanitary-veterinary authorization — the first food-safety check can shut you down.
- Not showing allergens on each dish — it's mandatory and it's the first complaint from allergic customers.
- Showing prices without VAT or without the delivery cost before order checkout.
How 4salefood helps
- A digital menu with a QR code and an allergen field per dish, plus terms and privacy pages included.
- Final VAT-inclusive price, delivery zones and cost shown correctly before checkout.
- Orders with your own delivery or pickup, card or cash-on-delivery payment, with the money collected directly by you.