Natasha’s Law

How to comply with ‘Natasha’s Law’

If you run a food business you must comply with all the relevant legislation, including The UK Food Information Amendment, which came into effect in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on 1 October 2021.

This amendment, known as ‘Natasha’s Law‘ was introduced by the UK Government following the death of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse after suffering an allergic reaction to an undeclared ingredient in a prepacked sandwich.

The law aims to protect people with allergies by providing potentially life-saving information on the labels of food ‘prepacked for direct sale’ (PPDS). This is food packaged at the same place it is served to consumers. It can include food that customers select themselves, pre-wrapped products kept behind a counter and food sold at mobile or temporary outlets.

All food businesses should check if ‘Natasha’s Law’ affects them and, if so, what action is needed to comply with the allergen labelling requirements.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) made a short video summarising the changes.

What is PPDS food?

Prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) food is packaged at the same place it is offered or sold to consumers and is in this packaging before it is ordered or selected. It can include food that consumers choose themselves (e.g. from a display unit), products kept behind a counter and food sold at mobile or temporary outlets.

Examples of PPDS food

– Sandwiches and baked goods that are packed on site before a consumer selects or orders them
– Fast food packed before it is ordered so that the food cannot be altered without opening the packaging
– Products which are prepackaged on site ready for sale, such as pizzas, salads and pasta pots
– Burgers and sausages prepackaged 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

Check if your business sells PPDS food with the Food Standards Agency’s allergen and ingredients food labelling tool.

How should PPDS food be labelled?

The label must show the name of the food and a list of ingredients with the 14 allergens to be declared by law emphasised within it. Here’s an example from the FSA’s guidance:

How can Menu Guide help?

As part of our ongoing development work, we have introduced a label printing function. Using our online tool, Menu Guide customers may create, format, style, size and print customised labels that meet the legal requirements for PPDS food.