It is estimated that one in five people have a food allergy in the UK.
With the aim to protect those with food allergies and give greater confidence in the food they buy, the UK Food Information Amendment, known as Natasha’s Law, comes into full effect from 1st October 2021, following the tragic death of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse in 2018.
What is Natasha’s law and does it affect your business?
Currently, the allergen information for foods that are pre-packaged for direct sale (PPDS) can be provided by any means, including verbally by staff.
From 1st October 2021, Natasha’s Law will require all UK food businesses to provide full ingredient lists and allergen labelling on all PPDS foods. This includes all foods that have been packed prior to the customer ordering, whether on your premises or purchased from a third party.
Are you ready?
According to the new rules, PPDS food will have to clearly display the following information on the packaging:
- • Name of the food.
- • Full ingredients list, with allergenic ingredients emphasised (for example in bold, italics, or a different colour).
To help you make your final checks, we’ve put together a 5 Step checklist, including several useful links with more information, to see if you’re ready for the legislation changes:
1. Check your menu regularly:
Know which foods are PPDS and check labelling is fully compliant.
2. Speak to Suppliers:
Stay close to each touchpoint in your supply chain to ensure PPDS info is accurate.
3. Train your Team:
Training is fundamental to ensure all your employees understand the change in legislation.
4. Final Checks:
Check that your labelling is clear and correct and that your team are confident, have a practice run.
5. Stay updated:
Here are some useful links to keep you up to date on the latest developments and relevant information regarding PPDS laws:
Food Standards Agency – For support and guidance for businesses preparing to implement PPDS labelling.
UK Food Labelling Resource – Advice and guidance from experts from around the food industry
Download our full 5 Step Guide here
Reducing Allergens
As a market leader in great tasting poultry products, our technical and product development teams are always looking at ways to reduce allergens without compromising the taste, quality and performance of the product. Take our Goodness Me! range for instance…
All traces of milk and egg have been removed from the coated chicken products (some of the most common allergens found in food products), whilst ensuring each bag still contains the same great tasting chicken.
We understand businesses may be working within grey areas regarding allergen information on some PPDS foods. Our entire range of over 90 products have a full nutrition and allergen specification on the packaging to make preparations for Natasha’s Law a little easier.
A note from our Managing Director:
"We understand that Natasha’s law means caterers must now work even harder to ensure their foods are suitable for a maximum number of dietary requirements. We want to help businesses to make sure they are taking the right steps to be ready."
“Our Goodness Me! range was recently adapted with the utmost care for customers, taking away some of the most common allergens in milk and egg from our coated products, while ensuring this does not compromise on taste or texture.”
“Our dedicated Technical Team are always on hand to answer questions any of our customers may have about our products.” - Nigel O'Donell, Managing Director
How can we help?
We aren’t just any food supplier… While our priority is to provide a high-quality frozen poultry service, we are also here to provide you with any information you need, when you need it regarding conventional food practices.
If you have any questions, contact our Technical Team. With our top AA BRC rating, you can be reassured that we understand the importance of ensuring our specifications and back of pack information are always accurate and up-to-date.
