Natasha's Law: food businesses reminded to prepare for imminent changes in food allergen labelling

All pre-packed for direct sale food must legally have an individual label showing the name of the food item and a full list of ingredients with the 14 allergens

Leading food safety specialist, Bureau Veritas, is reminding local food businesses in the north west of England of the importance of preparing for changes to Food Information Regulations (FIR), which come into force on 1 October.

The reminder comes as research reveals that eight in 10 food business owners are ‘unprepared’ for the new changes in food safety legislation. According to the research, some 40 per cent of businesses have not even heard of ‘Natasha’s Law’.

The UK Food Information Amendment, or Natasha’s Law, will mean that all pre-packed for direct sale food must legally have an individual label showing the name of the food item and a full list of ingredients with the 14 allergens (emphasised on the ingredients list if present) from 1 October 2021.

The new law applies to food that is packed before being placed on display and offered for sale by the same food business. It does not include food packed at a consumer’s request or food not in packaging.

The change in regulations will affect a large number of businesses in the food service and retail industries within the north west, including cafes, fast food and takeaway outlets, and market stalls.

George Macfie, Food Technical Manager at Bureau Veritas, said: “Natasha’s Law represents one of the biggest ever changes to food safety and labelling regulations, bringing in a potentially life-saving requirement for allergens to be highlighted on food packaging which is pre-packed for direct sale.

“It brings greater transparency about what people are buying and eating, lays down new standards for food businesses and highlights the increasing prevalence of food allergies, which is thought to affect around two million people in the UK.

“The changes will be officially adopted into law on 1 October, and businesses in the north west who are not yet prepared for these changes must act now. They should look at what they need to do from a supply chain and operational perspective, but also assess whether employees have sufficient training in allergens and the new requirements for Natasha’s Law.”

More information for businesses is available via the Food Standards Agency web site.