Allergen Labelling on Food

In this video, we will look at what businesses need to know about the changes to allergen labelling for pre-packed for direct sale, also known as PPDS food. This is also known as Natasha's law. This information is from the Food Safety Agency. From the 1st of October 2021, the requirements for PPDS food labelling changed in Wales, England and Northern Ireland. The new labelling helps protect consumers by providing potentially life-saving allergen information on the packaging. Any business that produces PPDS food are required to label it with the name of the food and the full ingredients list with allergen ingredients emphasised on the list, usually written in bold. Businesses need to check if their food products require PPDS labelling and what they need to do to comply with these rules.

So what are PPDS foods? PPDS food is food which is packaged at the same place it is offered or sold to consumers and is in this packaging before it's ordered or selected. It can include food that consumers select themselves, like from a display unit, as well as products that are kept behind the counter and some food sold in mobile or temporary outlets. Food that is not PPDS is any food that is not in packaging or is packaged after being ordered by the customer. These are the types of non-pre-packed food and do not require a label with the name, ingredients or allergens emphasized. Allergen information must still be provided, but this can be done through other means, including orally. Food packaged by one business supplied to another business is pre-packed food and must already have full labelling, including the name of the food and the full ingredients list with allergic ingredients emphasized within it.

The new labelling requirements do not apply to PPDS food sold by means of distance selling, such as food which is purchased through the telephone or internet methods. Businesses selling PPDS food this way will need to ensure that mandatory allergen information is available to the consumer before they purchase the product and also at the moment of delivery. PPDS food can include the following: Sandwiches and bakery products which are packed on-site before the consumer selects them or orders them; fast food packed before it's 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, pasta pots; burgers and sausages pre-packed by a butcher on the premises ready for sale to consumers; samples of cookies given to the consumer for free, which are packed on-site; foods packaged and then sold elsewhere by the same operator, or at a market store or mobile site; and finally, PPDS food provided in a school, care home, hospital or similar settings also required labelling. What needs to be on the label? The label needs to show the name of the food and the ingredients list with the 14 allergens required to be declared by law emphasized within it.

These need to be in line with the legal requirements that apply to naming the food and listing the ingredients. Food will require the new labelling if it meets all of these three criteria: One, is the food presented to the consumer in packaging; two, is it packaged before the consumer orders or selects it; three, is it packaged at the same place as it's sold? If all three answers are yes, food will require PPDS labelling. Food sold by distance selling is not affected by these changes. The Food Standards Agency website has information, guides and tools to help businesses prepare for these labelling changes. You can visit the Food Standards Agency website and find out more at www.food.gov.uk/ppds.