Allergen Labelling UK: Natasha's Law & the 14 Allergens
Every UK food business must declare the 14 major allergens. Since October 2021, Natasha's Law requires full ingredient labelling on all pre-packed food sold direct. Here's exactly what you need to do.
Quick Answer
UK law requires all food businesses to declare the 14 major allergens in their food. Since October 2021, Natasha's Law means any food that is pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS) — such as sandwiches wrapped before sale, meal prep containers, or market stall products — must carry a full ingredients label with allergens emphasised in bold. Non-prepacked food (made to order) requires allergen information to be available verbally or in writing. Non-compliance can result in unlimited fines and imprisonment.
The 14 Major Allergens
These 14 allergens must be declared under UK law regardless of the quantity used. They are responsible for the vast majority of food allergy reactions in the UK.
Celery
Including celeriac. Found in stocks, soups, salads, and some meat products.
Cereals containing gluten
Wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, and kamut. Found in bread, pasta, cakes, sauces.
Crustaceans
Crabs, lobster, prawns, shrimp, scampi. Found in Thai pastes, some dressings.
Eggs
Found in cakes, mayonnaise, pasta, quiche, sauces, some meat products.
Fish
Found in some sauces (Worcestershire), pizza toppings, relishes, salad dressings.
Lupin
Seeds and flour. Found in some bread, pastries, and pasta. Common in continental Europe.
Milk
Including lactose. Found in butter, cheese, cream, yoghurt, and many processed foods.
Molluscs
Mussels, oysters, snails, squid. Found in oyster sauce and some fish dishes.
Mustard
Including mustard powder, seeds, and oil. Found in dressings, marinades, soups, sauces.
Peanuts
Found in sauces, cakes, desserts, groundnut oil, peanut flour. Not the same as tree nuts.
Sesame
Seeds, oil, and paste (tahini). Found in bread, hummus, salads, and some Asian dishes.
Soybeans
Found in tofu, soy sauce, bean curd, edamame, and many processed foods.
Sulphur dioxide and sulphites
At concentrations above 10mg/kg. Found in dried fruit, wine, some meat products, soft drinks.
Tree nuts
Almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, brazils, pistachios, macadamias. Found in many foods.
Natasha's Law: What Changed
Natasha's Law came into effect on 1 October 2021 following the death of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, who had a fatal allergic reaction to a Pret A Manger baguette that did not list sesame. The law closes a gap in previous regulations where food packed on-site did not need full ingredient labelling.
The key change: pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS) food now requires a full ingredients list with allergens emphasised, just like factory-produced pre-packed food.
Three Categories of Food
Pre-packed food
Food sealed before the customer selects it (e.g., supermarket products)
Requirement: Full ingredients list with allergens emphasised (bold, italic, or underlined)
Examples: Jars of sauce, packaged sandwiches from a factory, bottled drinks
Pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS)
Food packed on the same premises where it is sold, before the customer orders
Requirement: Full ingredients list with allergens emphasised on the label (Natasha's Law)
Examples: Sandwiches made and wrapped in-store, meal prep containers, market stall pre-packed items
Non-prepacked (loose) food
Food sold without packaging, or packaged at the customer's request
Requirement: Allergen information must be available — can be verbal, written menu, or allergen matrix
Examples: Restaurant meals, takeaway food made to order, bakery items from a display counter
How to Comply: 6 Steps
Whether you run a dark kitchen, market stall, bakery, or meal prep business, these steps ensure you meet UK allergen requirements.
Know your ingredients
Get full ingredient lists from every supplier. Check for hidden allergens — sauces, stocks, and pre-made components often contain milk, gluten, or soy.
Create an allergen matrix
Build a chart listing every menu item against the 14 allergens. Mark which allergens are present in each dish. Update it whenever recipes change.
Label PPDS products
If you sell pre-packed food: print a full ingredients list on the packaging with allergens emphasised in bold. Include the product name, ingredients, and your business name/address.
Train all staff
Every person handling food must understand allergens, cross-contamination risks, and how to communicate allergen information to customers.
Prevent cross-contamination
Use separate equipment for allergen-free preparation where possible. Clean surfaces thoroughly between uses. Store allergens separately.
Keep records updated
Allergen information must be accurate and up to date. Review when you change recipes, suppliers, or menu items. Ingredient substitutions can introduce new allergens.
PPDS Label Example
A compliant PPDS label must include the product name, full ingredients list with allergens emphasised, and your business name and address.
Chicken Caesar Wrap
Ingredients: Wheat flour tortilla (Wheat flour, water, rapeseed oil, salt), chicken breast (8%), romaine lettuce, Caesar dressing (rapeseed oil, Egg yolk, Parmigiano Reggiano (Milk), Mustard, garlic, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce (Fish)), black pepper.
Made by: Example Kitchen Ltd, 123 High Street, London EC1A 1BB
Correct
- Allergens in bold within the ingredients list
- All 14 allergens checked and declared
- Compound ingredients broken down
- Business name and address included
Common Mistakes
- Only listing "Contains: wheat, milk" without full ingredients
- Not emphasising allergens (plain text)
- Missing allergens in compound ingredients (sauces, stocks)
- Handwritten labels that are hard to read
Related Guides
Food Safety & HACCP
HACCP principles, temperature control, and food safety compliance for UK kitchens.
Food Hygiene Rating
How the FHRS works and how to achieve a 5-star food hygiene rating.
Meal Prep Business
Start a meal prep business — PPDS labelling is critical for this model.
Written by
Maya Patel
Food Business Consultant & Certified Pastry Chef
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the 14 allergens that must be declared in the UK?
The 14 major allergens that must be declared under UK food law are: celery, cereals containing gluten (wheat, rye, barley, oats), crustaceans, eggs, fish, lupin, milk (including lactose), molluscs, mustard, peanuts, sesame, soybeans, sulphur dioxide and sulphites (above 10mg/kg), and tree nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, brazils, pistachios, macadamias). These must be declared regardless of the quantity used.
What is Natasha's Law and when did it come into effect?
Natasha's Law (formally the UK Food Information Amendment) came into effect on 1 October 2021. It requires all food that is pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS) to carry a label with a full ingredients list, with allergens emphasised in bold, italics, or underlined. It was introduced following the death of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse in 2016, who suffered an allergic reaction to a Pret A Manger baguette that did not list sesame as an ingredient.
What counts as pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS)?
PPDS is food that is packaged at the same premises where it is sold, before the customer selects or orders it. Examples include: sandwiches made and wrapped in a cafe before customers arrive, meal prep containers packed in your kitchen and sold on-site or at markets, cakes individually wrapped in a bakery for self-service. If the food is packaged at the customer's request (e.g., a takeaway box filled to order), it is NOT PPDS — it's non-prepacked food.
Do I need allergen labels for takeaway food?
It depends on how the food is sold. If food is made to order (customer orders, you prepare and pack it), it's non-prepacked — you need allergen information available but not necessarily on the packaging. If food is pre-made and wrapped before the customer arrives (e.g., sandwiches in a display fridge), it's PPDS and needs full ingredient labelling under Natasha's Law. Delivery platforms like Deliveroo and Uber Eats require allergen information to be listed on the menu.
What are the penalties for not complying with allergen labelling laws?
Non-compliance with allergen labelling can result in: improvement notices from environmental health officers, prohibition orders preventing you from selling certain products, prosecution with unlimited fines, imprisonment for up to 2 years in serious cases (e.g., where non-compliance causes injury or death), and a lower food hygiene rating. Allergen failures are one of the top 10 reasons businesses fail food hygiene inspections.
How should allergens be shown on food labels?
Allergens must be emphasised within the ingredients list — typically in bold text, but italic or underlined is also acceptable. They must appear in the ingredients list itself (not just as a separate "contains" statement, though you can include both). For example: "Ingredients: Wheat flour, water, butter (Milk), Eggs, sugar, Soya lecithin." The allergen must be named specifically even within compound ingredients.
Do I need to declare "may contain" allergens?
"May contain" warnings (also called precautionary allergen labelling or PAL) are voluntary, not legally required. They should only be used after a thorough risk assessment shows there is a genuine, unavoidable risk of cross-contamination despite best practices. Overusing "may contain" statements is discouraged by the FSA as it limits food choices for allergy sufferers. Never use them as a substitute for proper allergen management.
How do I handle allergen information for delivery orders?
For delivery platforms (Deliveroo, Uber Eats, Just Eat), you must provide allergen information for every menu item — typically entered into the platform's menu management system. For your own website or direct orders, include an allergen matrix or list allergens per dish on your online menu. If food is packed before the order is placed (PPDS), it needs full ingredient labelling. If made to order, verbal or written allergen info at the point of sale is sufficient.