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<p>The study will review existing information and literature to identify key factors that contribute positively and negatively to compliance in SME food businesses.</p>
<p>An initial scoping exercise will be undertaken to review current information available on food businesses, in order to determine if it is sufficient to identify relevant variables for development of a quantitative survey, and to undertake remedial qualitative work, if necessary.</p>
<p>A comprehensive segmentation model of food business SMEs will be developed using survey data from a representative sample of SME food businesses, underpinned by characteristics linked to compliance behaviours and compliance outcomes. The study will also consider to what extent segmentation groups can be linked to behaviour and compliance levels of member food business operators.</p>
<p>The outcomes of this study will enable an improved, better targeted intervention strategy for food SMEs to be developed. </p>
<p>Background: Currently, the frequency of intervention at food businesses is determined by the Agency’s Food Law Code of Practice, and compliance is interpreted and judged by enforcement officers through individual assessments of each food establishment.</p>
<p>To increase the effectiveness of interventions, current approaches to regulating food businesses could be improved using more specific, targeted approaches to identified segments of SME food businesses. </p>