Allergens and Natasha's Law: what restaurants and takeaways must do

Allergen mistakes can be deadly. UK law sets out 14 allergens that food businesses must tell customers about, and the rules depend on how the food is sold.

The 14 allergens

• Celery
• Cereals containing gluten
• Crustaceans
• Eggs
• Fish
• Lupin
• Milk
• Molluscs
• Mustard
• Peanuts
• Sesame
• Soya
• Sulphur dioxide and sulphites
• Tree nuts

Food served loose (not prepacked)

For meals and food you serve or sell unwrapped, you must be able to tell customers which of the 14 allergens are in each item. Staff can give this information by speaking to the customer, but only if a notice tells customers to ask.

The FSA’s best practice guidance for non-prepacked food (February 2025) recommends that you:

• Give allergen information in writing, for example on the menu, a chart or a digital menu, as well as by talking to customers.
• Ask customers about allergies at the start of their order.
• Keep online allergen information no more than one click away.
• Label orders for customers with an allergy.

Online, phone and delivery orders

When you sell at a distance, allergen information must be available before the customer completes the order, and again when the food is delivered.

Natasha’s Law: prepacked for direct sale (PPDS)

Since 1 October 2021, food that is packed on the premises before a customer orders it, such as sandwiches or salads in a fridge, needs a label showing:

• The name of the food
• A full ingredients list, in order of weight
• The 14 allergens emphasised (for example in bold) every time they appear in the list

The text must be large enough to read: an x-height of at least 1.2 mm, or 0.9 mm on packs whose largest surface is under 80 cm².

Keep your allergen chart up to date

• Record the allergens in every dish, based on your recipes and ingredients.
• Update the chart whenever the menu, a recipe or a supplier changes.
• Only use “may contain” warnings after a proper risk assessment of cross-contact.
• Train all staff on allergens, including new starters.

The FSA’s free online allergen training was taken down on 10 September 2026, and a new platform is due in October 2026. Food Standards Scotland also runs a free allergen course.