Natasha’s Law is coming

The government is pushing ahead with plans to force restaurants, pubs, cafes and takeaways with more than 250 employees to provide full ingredient lists and allergen labelling on food packages and menus. The purpose of this new legislation is to protect the allergen sufferers and give them confidence in the food they buy and consume.

In the UK, there are an estimated 2 million people living with some form of diagnosed food allergy – and these figures don’t even include those with food intolerances. Natasha’s Law is a welcome modification to current food labelling regulations that not only will prevent severe reactions and even deaths but also protect and reassure the allergy population across the nation and allow them to make safe choices.

As of October 2021, any business based in England, Wales and Northern Ireland must clearly label all foods with a complete list of ingredients. Although it won’t be a legal requirement in Scotland it’s likely that it will quickly follow suit.

The legal requirement will affect ‘Pre-packed foods for direct sale’ (PPDS), which are the items prepared on the same premises from which they are being sold. The label must clearly display the name of the product and a full ingredient list, emphasising the 14 allergens that must be declared as by current UK food laws in bold, italic or a different colour.