Terms and conditions for a farm shop selling online

A farm shop online sells a basket of goods the law treats differently: perishable meat and vegetables, shelf-stable jars, alcohol that needs an age check, and produce sold by weight at a price that changes when it is cut. The terms have to handle each in one order, run click and collect and local delivery, and manage substitutions when produce is unavailable. I draft those terms for a fixed fee of £995, delivered in five working days.

Who this is for

Farm shops, delis and independent grocers in England and Wales taking online orders for click and collect and local delivery, selling their own produce alongside third-party groceries, drinks and gifts.

What matters in farm shop online terms

Mixed baskets and what can be cancelled

An order contains goods with different rules. The terms should say that perishable items are excluded from the fourteen-day cancellation right by regulation 28 of the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, that shelf-stable items can be returned unopened, that sealed items unsealed after collection cannot, and that an order can be cancelled before it is picked. Applying one rule to the whole basket is where farm shop terms go wrong.

Weights, variable prices and substitutions

Meat, cheese and produce are sold by weight under the Weights and Measures Act 1985, and the terms should say that the price charged reflects the actual weight supplied within a stated tolerance of the ordered weight, that the customer is told the final price at collection or on the receipt, and that where an item is unavailable the shop may substitute a similar item of equal or greater value or omit it and refund, with the customer able to reject a substitution at collection. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires goods to match their description, so substitutions need the customer's agreement or refund.

Click and collect, delivery and storage

The terms should set collection windows, say that orders not collected within them are held for a stated period and then the perishable items are disposed of without refund, and for local delivery, that the customer must be in or give a safe place at their own risk, with goods at the shop's risk until handed over. Chilled goods must be refrigerated on receipt, and the terms should say so.

Age-restricted items and allergens

Alcohol, which section 146 of the Licensing Act 2003 prohibits selling to under-18s, and other age-restricted goods need proof of age at collection or delivery, and the terms should say that the shop will refuse to hand them over without it and refund the item. Allergen information for loose and own-made products must be available before purchase under the Food Information Regulations 2014, and the terms should say where, that products are handled alongside allergens, and that the customer checks against their needs.

Prices, payment and data

Prices shown online include all mandatory charges under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 with delivery and any collection fee shown before checkout, card payments carry no surcharge, and the terms should say when payment is taken for weighed items and how differences are refunded or charged. The privacy notice governs customer accounts and marketing consent under the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003.

What it costs

Customer or supplier terms and conditions, £995. One set of terms, customer-facing or supplier-facing, drafted for your business. Five working days.

Review of your existing terms, £495. You already have terms and want them checked and brought up to date. Returned marked up with my amendments and an explanation of the changes. Three working days.

Email me at geoffrey@caesar.co.uk with what you need and any documents, and I will confirm the scope and the fee in writing, usually the same working day.

What you get

• A full set of bespoke terms drafted for your business, reflecting the legal requirements that apply to your business and sector
• A note in plain English explaining the terms I have drafted for you
• Liability, payment, termination and IP provisions that protect your position and are drafted to withstand scrutiny from the other side
• Guidance on how to incorporate the terms properly
• Your questions and comments answered by email or phone
• One round of amendments to finalise the terms ready for use

What is not included

• Negotiating your terms with individual customers (I am happy to quote for this as an additional service if required)
• Sector-specific regulatory compliance beyond the contract terms themselves
• Website privacy notice and cookie compliance, which I quote separately
• Terms governed by the law of another country
• Tax advice

Questions I am often asked

A customer did not collect their order for three days. Do we refund the meat?

If the terms set collection windows and say uncollected perishables are disposed of without refund after the stated period, no. Refund any shelf-stable items if you choose, and say so in the terms.

We substituted a cheese and the customer is unhappy. What are they owed?

The right to reject the substitution at collection and a refund for that item, which the terms should provide. A substitution the customer did not agree to is not what they ordered.

The joint weighed more than the customer ordered. Can we charge more?

If the terms say prices reflect actual weight within a stated tolerance and the customer is told the final price, yes, within the tolerance. Beyond it, cut to order or ask.

Related guidance and services

• Terms and conditions drafting, £995, the service this page describes
• Contract review, £495
• Terms and conditions for a food producer selling online
• Terms and conditions for a meat, fish or veg box business

This page is general guidance for businesses in England and Wales, not advice on your own circumstances. Last reviewed: September 2026. Email geoffrey@caesar.co.uk.