EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FOOD ALLERGEN LABELLING IN THE UK

Food allergies impact 2.4 million people in the UK, with up to 6% of adults and 5% of children affected. Over the past two decades, hospital admissions for severe allergic reactions have doubled. For businesses handling non-prepacked foods – such as restaurants, cafes, and bakeries – providing accurate allergen information is critical for protecting consumers and complying with UK food safety regulations. For businesses handling non-prepacked foods, such as restaurants, cafes, and bakeries, providing accurate allergen information is crucial for consumer safety and regulatory compliance. This blog explores the legal landscape surrounding allergen information, the challenges businesses face in meeting these requirements, and potential solutions. 

LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORKS AND THE BEST PRACTICE GUIDANCE FOR ALLERGEN MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION

In the UK, food businesses must adhere to the following legislations.

Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council
This regulation governs allergen labelling in the UK, requiring businesses to provide information on 14 specified allergens, including milk, eggs, peanuts, and cereals containing gluten, for both prepacked and non-prepacked foods.

The Food Information Regulations 2014
National measures implementing EU FIC regulation are defined in The Food Information Regulations of 2014. This includes the requirement to deliver allergen information verbally in the out of home sector (Section 5) as well as the FIC amendment, which was successfully introduced in October 2021 and requires all PPDS (pre-packaged for direct sale) foods to display a full ingredients list with allergens highlighted in bold or another contrasting style in writing (The Food Information (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2019 also referred to as “Natasha’s Law”).

Allergen Information for Non-Prepacked Foods Best Practice 2025  
In March 2025, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) updated its best practice guidance for the out-of-home sector, advising food businesses on effectively providing mandatory allergen information for non-prepacked foods. The guidance emphasises that allergen information should be easily available in writing and supported by a conversation between staff and consumers. This approach helps businesses comply with regulations while also meeting consumer expectations by adopting good practices, ensuring that individuals can make more informed choices about the food they eat.

CHALLENGES FACED BY UK FOOD BUSINEESES

Tracking Allergen Information Across Supply Chain
Ensuring accurate allergen information is challenging when working with multiple suppliers. Ingredient changes or supplier variations can lead to inaccurate allergen details being communicated to consumers. According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), 30% of food businesses reported difficulties maintaining up-to-date allergen information. The updated FSA guidance (2025) reinforces the importance of regular allergen checks and written documentation to reduce risks. Digital systems for supply chain tracking and menu management systems enable businesses to automate allergen updates, monitor ingredient changes in real time, complete regular and systematic food information checks, and ensure accurate food labelling – maintaining compliance with evolving regulations. 

Verbal Communication and Staff Training
Many food businesses rely solely on verbal communication to convey allergen information, which has led to inconsistencies and increased risks when staff are not properly trained, or a business has high staff turnover. The FSA highlights that insufficient training and gaps in staff knowledge about allergens are common challenges, resulting in inconsistent allergen communication. The updated guidance recommends providing written allergen information alongside verbal communication to improve accuracy and consumer confidence, while encouraging staff engagement in proactive allergen discussions. Digital menus and allergen management tools give staff immediate access to accurate information, supporting food businesses in confidently communicating allergen details, ensuring consistency, and reducing the risk of miscommunication.

Compliance Costs
Food businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), face challenges in training staff, maintaining accurate allergen records, and ensuring compliance across multiple locations. The cost of regular updates, staff education, and adapting to supplier ingredient changes can be significant. The FSA’s updated guidance emphasises the importance of structured allergen documentation to improve efficiency and reduce compliance burdens. Without centralised systems, businesses risk outdated allergen records, inconsistent communication, and compliance challenges, making it harder to meet regulatory expectations and protect consumers. Nutritics helps reduce costs by automating allergen tracking, ensuring real-time updates from suppliers, and streamlining compliance processes – minimising administrative burden and human error.

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS FOR ALLERGEN MANAGEMENT

Automated Allergen Tracking
Digital platforms help food businesses automate allergen tracking, ensuring allergen information is updated in real time. With supply chain disruptions and sourcing challenges becoming more common, recipes and menus are increasingly subject to change. This makes real-time updates even more crucial. Using live-published and unpublished food management systems, along with live API supplier data feeds, ensures allergen information remains accurate and up-to-date, reducing reliance on manual updates and enhancing compliance with regulations.

Enhanced Consumer Trust with Digital Menus
Providing allergen information through digital platforms, such as QR codes or interactive menus, gives consumers real-time access to accurate data. This approach helps businesses update allergen information instantly, increasing consumer trust and making it easier for staff to provide accurate information without memorising or manually checking details.

Improved Staff Training with Digital Tool
Digital food management supports staff training by providing up-to-date allergen information and real-time updates, reducing reliance on manual methods. This ensures consistent allergen management across locations and increases compliance with regulations.

Business Continuity
Automated allergen tracking helps businesses ensure consistency even with staff turnover, sick leave, or training gaps. Digital platforms allow businesses to track and audit allergen information changes, ensuring accuracy over time and reducing reliance on individual staff knowledge.

CONCLUSION

Proper allergen management is essential for consumer protection and regulatory compliance. Regulations such as EU FIC, the Food Information (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2019 (commonly referred to as “Natasha’s Law”), and the updated FSA guidance (2025) set clear requirements for food businesses handling allergens. However, many businesses face challenges in maintaining accurate allergen records, updating menus, and ensuring staff training meets regulatory expectations.

Digital solutions like Nutritics streamline compliance by automating allergen tracking, centralising food data, and enabling real-time updates across multiple locations. These systems help businesses efficiently manage allergen documentation, improve accuracy in allergen communication, and stay aligned with evolving regulations. By ensuring clear and consistent allergen information at the point of choice, they add an additional layer of safety to consumers, and strengthen trust in your brand. 

By implementing structured allergen management processes through digital tools, UK food businesses can automate regulatory changes, increase compliance, mitigate risk, and ensure the provision of accurate allergen information to consumers.

USEFUL RESOURCES FOR UK FOOD BUSINESSES

To help UK food businesses manage allergen information and comply with regulations, here are some essential resources:

  1. Food Standards Agency (FSA) – Allergen Guidance for Food Businesses
    Comprehensive allergen management advice for UK businesses, covering legal requirements and best practices for managing allergens in non-prepacked foods.
    URL: Allergen guidance for food businesses 
  2. Food information UK 2014 Guidance – Detailed information on implementing allergen labelling: Food Information Regulations 2014: Summary guidance for food business operators and enforcement officers in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. July 2020 
  3. Institute of Food Science & Technology (IFST) – Food Allergen Management
    Practical tools, templates, and guidance for managing allergens in food businesses, particularly for SMEs.URL: https://www.ifst.org/resources/policy/food-allergen-management
  4. Nutritics – Allergen Management Software
    Nutritics provides a digital platform to help UK businesses track allergens, manage menus, and ensure compliance with evolving allergen regulations.URL: https://www.nutritics.com
  5. Food Standards Agency (FSA) – Updated Allergen Guidance, Allergen Information for Non-Prepacked Foods Best Practice URL:Allergen Information for Non-Prepacked Foods Best Practice: Summary