New Food Labelling Requirements

Posted: 22 Sep 2021

A number of you have told us recently that you are getting to grips with the new labelling regulations due to come into effect on 1st October 2021 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.  We thought it would be helpful to briefly review these changes, for those of you wondering if you are affected. You may have heard of this as “Natasha’s Law”.

What is “Prepacked for Direct Sale Food” (PPDS)?

Introduction to allergen labelling changes (PPDS) | Food Standards Agency

If all the following are true, then you are affected by these new regulations:

1. Your customer buys the food at your premises
   (mail order, internet or telephone orders which are then delivered to your customer don’t count – see Article 14 of the Food Information Regulations for distance selling rules)
2. The food is already prepacked for sale
   (loose chocolates which are bagged up with the consumer present don’t count as “prepacked” – non-prepacked food just require information about the use of the 14 allergens if they are present, a full ingredients list is not required. See Guidance template (food.gov.uk) for further information.
3. The food has been packed and sold by you at your premises, including mobile or temporary outlets (if it has been packed somewhere else or by someone else, then it is “prepacked food” as opposed to “prepacked for direct sale food. See Guidance template (food.gov.uk) for further information.

What Do I Need to Do if I Sell PPDS?

You must affix a label onto the food showing the name of the food and the ingredients list with the 14 allergens required to be declared by law emphasised within it.

1. See Introduction to allergen labelling changes (PPDS) | Food Standards Agency for information on what needs to be on the label
2. See Allergen guidance for food businesses | Food Standards Agency for information on the 14 allergens and how to refer to them

NOTE
All information in this article is given in good faith and without liability. The information presented represents our interpretation of the various guidelines and regulatory documents and we recommend you seek further advice and definitive guidance from your local Trading Standards office.