On October 1st 2021*, food industries across the UK will have to be label compliant with the new legislation, Natasha’s Law.

Within the UK, there are approximately 2 million people suffering with a food allergy, causing them anxiety issues and lack of confidence when eating out.

Following the death of 15-year-old Natasha Ednan – Laperouse, the Government has confirmed that there needs to stricter laws to protect the lives of allergy sufferers across the UK. As well as giving them more confidence to go out to eat more and be able to enjoy their food.

This new legislation requires foods pre-packed on the premises for direct sale (PPDS), to have a full list of ingredients listed on the packaging label with all allergens emphasised and stated.

Natasha’s Law requires all allergens to be highlighted in the ingredients list, with 14 allergens that must be highlighted. These are:

  • Celery (including Celeriac)
  • Cereals containing Gluten (including Wheat, Rye, Barley and Oats)
  • Crustaceans (i.e Shellfish including Prawn, Crab, Shrimp and Lobster)
  • Eggs
  • Fish
  • Lupins
  • Milk (including Lactose Products)
  • Molluscs (including Squid, Mussels, Cockles and Snails)
  • Mustard
  • Nuts (specifically Tree Nuts)
  • Peanuts
  • Sesame (Tahini)
  • Soya (Soy and Soybean)
  • Sulphur Dioxide or Sulphites (at levels above 10mg per kilogram or per litre)

As well as highlighting allergens, you need to declare how you are highlighting them and ensure that they are in the QUID (Quantitative Ingredient Declaration) order. Your listed ingredients should also be legible to meet the minimum font size.

Before this law was introduced, customers would have to ask staff about particular allergies, rather than be able to clearly see them on a food label and in writing. By tightening the rules and ensuring that all ingredients are listed, allergy sufferers will have greater trust in what they buy and eat.

In partnership with Zebra Technologies, we can ensure that you are ready and compliant before October 2021, by supplying you with ingredient labelling products such as Zebra Desktop Printers, Zebra Labels and Receipts. As well as labelling software to print your food labels.

For more information on Natasha’s Law, and how you can be compliant and get your business prepared, contact our team today.

*This page will be updated when we receive more information. 

Photo by Sara Cervera on Unsplash