Selling Candles at UK Craft Fairs: Getting Started
Why Craft Fairs Are the Best Place to Begin
There is something quietly electric about setting up a stall for the first time. You have spent weeks melting wax, testing wicks, and arguing with yourself over whether the cardamom and cedarwood blend smells sophisticated or just odd. Then suddenly you are standing behind a folding table at a village hall in Derbyshire, watching a woman in a wax jacket pick up your candle, sniff it, and put it back down. That moment — the uncertainty of it, the hope — is where most candle businesses actually begin.
Craft fairs remain one of the most effective ways for new UK candle makers to test products, meet customers, and build a loyal following without spending a fortune on advertising. Unlike an online shop, a craft fair gives you immediate, honest feedback. People either linger at your stall or they walk past. They either ask questions or they do not. That information is worth more than any algorithm.
This guide is for anyone who has been making candles at home and is now wondering whether they could actually sell them. It covers everything from the legal requirements you genuinely cannot skip, to choosing the right fair, pricing your products, and making your stall look the part — all with a UK focus, because the rules, suppliers, and culture here are specific enough to matter.
Understanding the UK Legal Requirements First
Before you book a table anywhere, you need to understand what the law requires. This is not the fun part, but getting it wrong can cost you significantly more than a bad season of sales, so it is worth sitting with a cup of tea and working through it properly.
In the UK, candles are classified as consumer goods and are subject to the General Product Safety Regulations 2005. This means that any candle you sell must be safe for its intended use. Beyond that broad requirement, there are several specific areas to address.
CLP Labelling. The Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation requires that any candle containing fragrance oils with hazardous components must carry appropriate warning labels. If your candle contains a fragrance that includes allergens or hazardous substances above certain concentration thresholds, you are legally required to display the relevant hazard pictograms, signal words, and hazard statements on the label. Many candle makers are caught off guard by this. Your fragrance supplier — companies like Candle Shack in Glasgow or The Soap Kitchen in Devon — should provide Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for every fragrance oil they sell. Read them. They tell you exactly what CLP information you need to include.
IFRA Compliance. The International Fragrance Association sets maximum usage rates for fragrance components. Reputable UK suppliers will provide IFRA certificates alongside their fragrances. Use fragrances within the recommended percentages for your wax type, and keep records showing that you have done so.
Product Liability Insurance. Most craft fair organisers in the UK now require proof of public liability insurance before you can trade. Many also require product liability cover specifically. Policies tailored to crafters and small makers are available from providers such as Craft Cover, Ripe Insurance, and Hiscox. Expect to pay somewhere between £60 and £150 per year for a combined public and product liability policy at the levels most fairs require — typically £2 million or £5 million.
Business Registration. If you are selling regularly, you are running a business. You will need to register as a sole trader with HMRC and complete a Self Assessment tax return each year. There is no minimum income threshold that exempts you from this requirement once you are trading — the £1,000 trading allowance simply means you may not owe tax if your profit is below that figure, but registration is still expected.
None of this should put you off. Thousands of people sell candles legally and happily at UK craft fairs every weekend. It simply requires doing the groundwork before you hand over your first sale.
Choosing the Right Craft Fair for Your Products
Not every craft fair is the right fit, and learning that lesson early saves both money and disappointment. UK craft fairs range from enormous ticketed events like Crafty Fox Market in London or Yarndale in Skipton, to small monthly markets in church halls that cost £15 to attend and attract fifty visitors on a good day.
For a first-time seller, the instinct is often to aim big — to book a table at a large, well-known event and hope the footfall does the work for you. This can work, but it can also be overwhelming and expensive. A table at a premium London market might cost £150 to £300, and if your products are not yet well-developed or your display is not polished, you may spend more than you earn while also feeling demoralised.
A more measured approach is to start with smaller, local events. Check your local Facebook groups, community noticeboards, and websites like Craft Fair Finder or Folksy’s event listings. Your local town’s seasonal market, a farm shop Christmas fair, or a school fundraiser can give you invaluable experience without the financial pressure. Once you know what sells, how to talk to customers, and how long your setup takes, you are in a much stronger position to book something larger.
When evaluating a fair, ask the organiser these questions before committing:
- How many visitors attended last year?
- How many other candle makers will be present?
- Is the event indoors or outdoors, and what is the table size?
- What is included in the table fee — is there access to power, for example?
- Is there a waiting list, or are spaces filled on a first-come basis?
- What are the cancellation and refund terms if the event is called off?
A good organiser will answer these questions readily and professionally. If responses are vague or slow, that tells you something about how the event itself is run.
Developing a Range That Works for a Stall
Selling at a craft fair is different from selling online. Customers can smell, hold, and examine your products in person — which is a tremendous advantage for candles — but they also make decisions quickly and often based on immediate sensory impression rather than lengthy deliberation.
A range of six to twelve products tends to work well for a first stall. Too few and your table looks sparse; too many and customers become overwhelmed and struggle to choose anything at all. This is sometimes called the paradox of choice, and it is remarkably observable at craft fairs. The stalls that convert browsers into buyers most consistently are often the ones with a clear, curated selection.
Think about offering a small number of core scents across two or three sizes or formats. For example, you might offer the same fragrance — say, a warm amber and vanilla blend — as a small travel tin, a medium glass vessel, and a larger luxury jar. This gives customers a genuine choice based on budget rather than overwhelming them with fifteen entirely different scents.
Consider your seasonal timing too. A fair in November or early December calls for warming, festive scents: clove and orange, frosted pine, cinnamon and vanilla. A spring fair might welcome lighter floral or clean linen blends. UK buyers are, on the whole, seasonally minded, and matching your range to the time of year increases both relevance and sales.
Pricing Your Candles Honestly and Sustainably
Pricing is where many new candle makers undervalue their work significantly, and it is a pattern worth breaking from the very beginning. The temptation is to price low to attract buyers, but if your pricing does not cover your costs and leave you with a reasonable margin, you are running a hobby that pays you nothing — and sometimes charges you for the privilege.
A simple pricing formula to start with is:
- Calculate your material costs per candle (wax, fragrance, wick, vessel, lid, label, packaging).
- Add a proportion of your overhead costs (insurance, craft fair fees, equipment depreciation).
- Factor in your time at a reasonable hourly rate — even £10 per hour to start.
- Multiply your total cost by at least 2.5 to arrive at a retail price.
- Check that figure against comparable products in the UK market and adjust if needed.
A small soy wax candle in a tin might cost you £2.50 to make in materials. Add time and overheads and your true cost might be closer to £4.50. At a 2.5x multiplier, your retail price should be around £11. If you are selling it for £6 because you are worried people will not pay more, you are working for almost nothing.
Customers at UK craft fairs — particularly those who actively seek out handmade goods — generally understand that artisan products cost more than mass-produced alternatives. They are there precisely because they want something made with care. Price accordingly and be confident in your value.
Setting Up a Stall That Invites People In
Your stall display is your shop front. It communicates your brand, your attention to detail, and your price point before a customer has even read a label. A well-presented stall does not require a large budget, but it does require intention.
Height is one of the most effective tools available to you. A flat table of products at waist height is visually flat and easy to
ignore — no miss. A flat table of products at waist height is visually flat and easy to walk past without a second glance. Introduce varying heights using wooden crates, cake stands, or small shelving risers. Place taller items at the back and shorter ones at the front so that everything remains visible from a distance. A tiered display draws the eye upward and gives your stall a sense of depth that encourages customers to slow down and look more carefully.
Lighting, where power is available, can transform a display. Battery-powered fairy lights or small LED spotlights warm up the appearance of glass vessels and make wax textures far more appealing than harsh overhead hall lighting alone. Keep your colour palette consistent across your packaging, signage, and any props you use. A mismatched stall suggests haste, whereas a considered one suggests quality. Your price labels should be clear and legible — customers who cannot find the price will often walk away rather than ask.
Keep the surface tidy throughout the day. Candles handled by browsers should be straightened, testers wiped clean, and any sold gaps filled from your stock box rather than left as obvious holes in the display. A stall that looks half-depleted by midday gives the impression that the best items are already gone.
A Final Word
Selling at UK craft fairs takes preparation, patience, and a willingness to learn from each event. Your first fair will teach you more than any guide can. You will discover which scents draw people in, how customers handle your products, and what questions come up repeatedly. Take notes, adapt, and return better prepared the next time. The makers who do consistently well are rarely those with the most elaborate displays or the widest range — they are the ones who show up reliably, know their products thoroughly, and treat every customer as worth their full attention.
