Allergy Support for Food Businesses & Hospitality

Allergen labelling for prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) food – Natasha’s Law

From October 1st 2021, changes to UK law came in force regarding allergen labelling for prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) food, also known as Natasha’s Law.

These new rules mean that any business that produces PPDS food is required to label it with the name of the food and a full ingredients list, with ingredients from the 14 regulated food allergens emphasised within the list.

View our food labelling resources here

What is PPDS food?

This relates to food that is packaged at the same location that it is offered or sold to consumers, and is in this packaging before it is ordered or selected.

It can include food that consumers select themselves (eg from a display unit), as well as products kept behind a counter and some food sold at mobile or temporary outlets.

For more information read the Food Standards Agency guidelines here.

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Tips for cafés, takeaways and restaurants

• Know the food law: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/2011/1169/contents.
• You must provide information on the 14 regulated food allergens in writing if you sell or provide food to your customers directly.
• Consider consumers may be allergic to an ingredient outside of the 14 regulated allergens, which are required to be declared as allergens by food law.
• Maintain robust food allergy management procedures.
• Make sure all staff are trained in understanding allergies and your allergy management procedures, with regular refreshes.
• Keep staff kept up-to-date with menu and ingredient changes. Ideally brief staff at the beginning of each shift on menu changes.
• Make sure that kitchen staff understand cross-contamination and are informed of the steps to take to reduce risk. For example, washing hands, maintaining an allergen-free food preparation area with separate cooking equipment and utensils, storing ingredients and prepared foods separately in sealed and labelled containers.
• Remember, cross-contamination can also happen through using the same cooking oil.
• Never second guess. If you are unsure if a dish has been cross-contaminated or accidently made with an allergen, do not serve it.
• Don’t forget to include garnishes on ingredient lists.
• Never just pick off an allergen from a food and then serve it back to someone with an allergy.

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Racine’s story

Being a teenager and then an adult was socially challenging. I couldn’t just go anywhere with friends; everything had to be planned and I always had to ask what food would be available for me. I was hardly invited places and sometimes people would say, ‘I knew you couldn’t come anyway because of the food.’

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The Allergy UK Patient Charter calls for  

• The Right to clear and accurate information needed to make safe food choices to confidently eat in or out of the home without the fear of allergic reaction. 
• The Right to live in a society that understands the lifelong impact of allergic disease. 
• The Right to live in a society that takes allergy seriously.

Find out more about our Patient Charter here.