New allergen labelling laws are coming soon
Published: Thursday, 23 September, 2021
A new law named after a teenager who died from a severe allergic reaction comes in to force in just a few weeks’ time.
From 1 October 2021, the requirements for pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS) food labelling will change in Wales, England, and Northern Ireland.
Natasha's Law is named after Natasha Ednan-Laperouse who, at the age of 15, passed away due to a severe allergic reaction. Natasha had a sesame allergy and was not made aware that sesame seeds had been baked into the bread of a sandwich she had purchased. The new labelling will help protect your consumers by providing potentially life-saving allergen information on packaging.
Pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS) is food which is packaged at the same place that it is offered or sold to consumers and is in this packaging before it is ordered or selected. Any business that produces PPDS food will be required to label it with the name of the food and a full ingredients list, with allergenic ingredients emphasised within the list.
Examples of PPDS food PPDS food can include the following:
- Sandwiches and bakery products which are packed on site before a consumer selects or orders them.
- Fast food packed before it is ordered, such as a burger under a hot lamp where the food cannot be altered without opening the packaging.
- Products which are pre-packaged on site ready for sale, such as pizzas, rotisserie chicken, salads and pasta pots.
- Burgers and sausages pre-packaged by a butcher on the premises ready for sale to consumers.
- Samples of cookies given to consumers for free which were packed on site.
- Foods packaged and then sold elsewhere by the same operator at a market stall or mobile site.
- PPDS food provided in schools, care homes or hospitals and other similar settings will also require labelling.
“It’s important businesses review this information for their food labelling to ensure it covers the name of the food and the ingredients list which covers all allergenic ingredients,” said Councillor Chris Brine, Chair of SDC Community Services and Licensing Committee. “Our Environmental Health team is working hard to help and support local businesses with any information they may need. Businesses need to check if their products require PPDS labelling and what they need to do to comply with the new rules.”
The Food Standards Agency has produced an allergen and ingredients labelling tool and you can check if your business sells PPDS food and find out more about the different requirements for labelling, and what you need to do at www.food.gov.uk/allergen-labelling-changes-for-prepacked-for-direct-sale-ppds-food
You can also contact the Environmental Health Team at Stroud District Council for further advice at environmental.health@stroud.gov.uk
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