Natasha’s Law
The Food Information (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2019
Natasha’s Law is designed to provide those with food allergies complete certainty that the Pre-packed for Direct Sale (PPDS) food they are buying is safe for them to eat.
At the moment, businesses selling food prepared on the same premises where it is sold don’t need to put allergen information on the label, which means allergy sufferers have to ask staff for the information they need to buy with confidence.
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| Services | Labels |
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Parliament has now legislated so foods like these must come with a full list of ingredients. The new legislation covers any business that is preparing, packing and selling food from the same premises, or food that is packed centrally and sold. from a mobile stall or vehicle belonging to the same business.
The new rules will apply to businesses in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland and are encouraged to become compliant by the October 1st 2021 deadline.
At first look, the legislation may appear complex – Fairfield have simplified what you need to know below and have created a simple, cost-effective solution to ensure you’re fully compliant.
More info
What is PPDS food?
Prepacked for direct sale or PPDS is food which 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 select themselves (e.g. from a display unit), as well as products kept behind a counter and some food sold at mobile or temporary outlets. Examples of PPDS food are:
- 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, hospitals or factory catering outlets will also require labelling
Food that isn’t PPDS:
- Any food that is not in packaging or is packaged after being ordered by the consumer. These are types of non-prepacked food and do not require a label with name, ingredients and allergens emphasised. Allergen information must still be provided but this can be done through other means, including orally.
- Food packed by one business and supplied to another business. This is prepacked food and already must have full labelling, including the name of the food and a full ingredients list, with allergenic ingredients emphasised within it.
What type of information has to be included on the product?
All Pre-packed for Direct Sale products will need to clearly display the name of the food and a full list of all ingredients. Any allergens must be highlighted within the ingredients list, for example, by printing them in bold or in a different colour.
The suggested print size is 7PT or larger on your computer.
It will not be acceptable just to have a list of allergens after October 1st 2021.
Under current legislation, there are 14 allergens that must be identified if they have been used as ingredients, or if ingredients have been derived from one of the allergens and are used in the food.