Japanese sweets market stall

Families, teenagers, students and fans of Japanese culture who browse markets and events.

You sell individual items and bundles at a mark-up, usually paying a pitch fee per day. Pre-packed gift bags can be good sellers.

• Friendly customer service
• Display and merchandising
• Stock and cash handling

• Food business registration with your council, and check whether the market organiser asks for proof of hygiene or insurance
• Street trading licences or consents may apply in some places, so check with the council
• Labelling and allergen information on prepacked products, including imported items
• Weather, stock storage and transport, since you need a way to carry goods and a stall
• Public liability insurance, often required by market organisers
• Takings can vary a lot between events, so keep pitch fees under control at first

Startup costs are typically around £1,000 to £4,000, depending on your stock, stall set-up and how you transport goods. These are estimates, and keeping pitch fees under control at first helps limit your risk.

Monthly revenue is typically around £600 to £3,500, depending on which markets and events you attend, from around 10 hours a week. Takings can vary a lot between events, so treat these as estimates.

Check food business registration with your council, whether organisers want proof of hygiene or insurance, and whether street trading licences or consents apply locally. Also check labelling and allergen information on prepacked imports, and public liability insurance.