The Safer Food Better Business (SFBB) book is a widely used tool among UK food businesses to comply with food safety regulations. This article intends to compare the paper SFBB system to the digital SFBB Pro food safety app. Let’s break down the costs and staff time required to maintain both food safety systems, and how this translates into labour costs based on the UK minimum wage.
📘 Cost of the SFBB Book
As of June 2025, the SFBB book is available on Amazon UK for approximately £20.99. This version includes a 13-month diary and fridge temperature records, designed for daily and four-weekly entries.amazon.co.uk+4amazon.co.uk+4amazon.co.uk+4
⏱️ Staff Time to Maintain the SFBB Book
Maintaining the SFBB diary involves daily and periodic tasks:
- Daily Checks: Recording fridge/freezer temperatures, cleaning schedules, and any incidents.
- Weekly/Monthly Tasks: Conducting and documenting four-weekly reviews, staff training records, and equipment maintenance logs.amazon.co.uk
On average, businesses report spending about 1 to 2 hours per week on these activities. This estimate can vary depending on the size of the establishment and the complexity of its operations.
💷 Labour Cost Based on UK Minimum Wage
As of April 2025, the National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over in the UK is £12.21 per hour.
Calculating the weekly labour cost:
- 1 hour/week: £12.21/week
- 2 hours/week: £24.42/week
Over a year, this amounts to:
- 1 hour/week: £634.92/year
- 2 hours/week: £1,269.84/year
📊 Summary
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| SFBB Book (one-time) | £20.99 |
| Labour (1 hr/week) | £634.92/year |
| Labour (2 hrs/week) | £1,269.84/year |
These figures highlight that while the initial cost of the SFBB book is modest, the ongoing labour required to maintain compliance can be significant over time.
Is SFBB Pro quicker and more cost-efficient in 2025 compared to traditional SFBB book-based systems:
🚀 Is SFBB Pro is Quicker?
✅ Digital Record-Keeping
No more handwritten notes! Staff can instantly log temperature checks, cleaning tasks, and incidents on a tablet or phone.
🔹 Quicker data entry
🔹 No risk of lost or damaged paper diaries
✅ Automated Reminders
The app sends reminders for daily, weekly, and monthly tasks, so staff never forget to complete crucial entries.
🔹 Reduced oversight time
🔹 Consistent compliance
💷 Is SFBB Pro is More Cost Efficient?
✅ Reduced Staff Hours
With faster digital logging, businesses report cutting record-keeping time by up to 50%.
🔹 Traditional SFBB: 1–2 hours/week
🔹 SFBB Pro: ~0.5–1 hour/week
💡 Example Saving:
At the UK minimum wage (£12.21/hour):
- Traditional SFBB: £12.21–£24.42/week
- SFBB Pro: ~£6–£12/week
🔹 Yearly saving: £317–£634
✅ Lower Paper & Printing Costs
No need to buy paper diaries or print new logs each year.
✅ Improved Compliance = Avoided Fines
Missed logs or errors can lead to EHO penalties. SFBB Pro’s automated checks help ensure logs are up-to-date and correct, reducing the risk of costly fines.
🏆 Other Benefits
💡 Cloud Storage – All records are stored securely and can be accessed from anywhere.
💡 Audit-Ready Reports – Generate instant reports for Environmental Health Officer (EHO) inspections.
💡 Staff Training Tools – SFBB Pro includes built-in guides and videos to onboard new team members
📘 Traditional SFBB Book & Staff Time
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| SFBB Book (one-time) | £20.99 |
| Labour (1 hr/week @ £12.21/hr) | £634.92/year (about £52.91/month) |
| Labour (2 hrs/week) | £1,269.84/year (about £105.82/month) |
📲 SFBB Pro App
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| SFBB Pro Subscription | £24.95/month |
| Labour (0.5–1 hr/week) | £317–£634/year (about £26–£52/month) |
🔥 Key Takeaways
✅ At 1 hour/week of labour
- SFBB Pro is about £4 cheaper/month.
✅ At 2 hours/week of labour
- SFBB Pro is about £30 cheaper/month.
✅ Additional Benefits
- No need to buy or replace paper diaries.
- Reduced risk of errors/fines.
- Better compliance and record-keeping.
💡 Final Summary
Using SFBB Pro saves money each month—even more so if you’re spending closer to 2 hours/week on paperwork! Plus, it improves operational efficiency and staff compliance. Most importantly it helps to remove user-error. The biggest cause of any accident or mishap is user-error.
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