Natasha’s Law became law in October 2021 in the UK. The Food Information Amendment Regulations 2019 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with similar legislation in Scotland, came into force on 1st October 2021.
The amendment means that any food placed on the market on or after 1st October 2021 which is produced and wrapped before it is ordered must have a full ingredients declaration. The label must show any declarable allergens in a highlighted text. This could be in bold, or a different colour. As long as it is differentiated from the rest of the ingredients that are not allergens . There is a list of 14 allergens which are declarable. The list is in this article. The label must also have the name of the product on it.
What does this mean for me as a consumer?
Imagine you are hungry and are allergic to mustard. You go to the local sandwich shop and see a ham and salad sandwich in the chiller. It was made that morning, ready to go. You grab the sandwich and go to the counter. Previously, you would have to ask an employee if the sandwich contains mustard and they must be able to tell you. Probably by referring to a manual, or asking the chef. From 1st October 2021, any pre prepared food or drink must have the allergens highlighted in a full ingredients list and name of the product on it (see below).
What is changing for me as a business?
From when Natasha’s law became law on 1st October 2021, the information must be available on the product label. The ingredients must be in descending order. Allergens must be highlighted in some way. If you choose not to supply a sandwich which is “prepacked for direct sale” or PPDS it will have to be to be prepared fresh for each customer and the law does not change. The consumer will have to tell the server that they have an allergy or ask if there is mustard in the sandwich. That way the business can let the purchaser or consumer know the allergens associated with the sandwich.
The label must also have the product name on.
There is guidance on the Food Standards Agency website and on the Scottish Food Standards Agency website.
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