Setting the standard for British honey.
Developing assurance for authentic, traceable British honey.
Honey should be exactly what it says it is.
But knowing what’s really in the jar isn’t always straightforward
Authenticity
Confidence in what’s inside.
Honey authenticity can be difficult to judge from appearance or labelling alone. We are developing an assurance framework to strengthen confidence in British honey.
Provenance
Knowing where honey comes from.
Clear traceability connects honey back to its producer and origin, creating greater transparency from hive to jar.
Trust
Independent verification.
Our aim is to make honey claims checkable through clear requirements, proportionate assessment and transparent traceability.
Setting the standard
The standard for authenticity
Clear requirements. Independent verification. Greater confidence in British honey.
The Honey Standard is developing requirements for authenticity, provenance and traceability, alongside impartial governance and a proportionate certification process.
Understand the evidence behind honey
The detailed standard and assurance arrangements are in development. Explore the principles, read the practical guides and help shape the requirements.
FAQs
Explore common questions
- What is The Honey Standard?
The Honey Standard is a British honey assurance scheme in development, intended to strengthen trust, transparency and traceability across production and packing.
- Why does honey need a standard?
Honey supply chains can make authenticity difficult to establish. We are developing a framework for demonstrating provenance, responsible practice and traceability.
- What does certification mean?
Certification is intended to confirm that an organisation meets the adopted requirements within a defined scope. The detailed THS requirements and assurance arrangements are still being developed.
- How do you verify honey?
The proposed approach combines documented evidence, product traceability, assessment and testing where appropriate. Honey authenticity requires a weight-of-evidence approach rather than a blanket reliance on one test.
- How can I tell if honey is certified?
When certification is issued, check The Honey Standard certification mark against the current public register and read its scope and validity. Demonstration or test records are not evidence of certification.
Get in touch
Please send us an email.
