On the 1st of October, it became compulsory for food business operators to label pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS) food with full ingredients and allergens. This new law applies to products made and packaged onsite. Below is a brief overview of the new law and its requirements, with useful links and resources.
A snapshot summary of Natasha’s Law
- This law affects all sectors including hospitality, education, and care
- PPDS food includes food that is prepared and packaged onsite and available to customers to self-select
- PPDS food must be labelled with the name of the food and a full ingredients list with allergens emphasised
- Caterers have a responsibility to provide correct up to date information on PPDS food labels
Your to-do check list
- Check your onsite produced ‘grab and go’ items as these will likely need labels
- Consider introducing a pre-ordering system as food ordered this way don’t need labels
- Focus on communication to ensure those with food allergies continue to ask about the ingredients used and food preparation for the food you offer
- Spot check your labels to ensure they are compliant with the labelling requirements
- Remember to update your label printing systems regularly to ensure changes to ingredients capture the relevant allergen information
- Audit your food preparation and labelling processes and learn from any identified errors
Vital information at your fingertips
To ensure you have all the information you need to be complying with the new law, we have listed some useful websites and resources below to have at your fingertips:
Use this tool to check if your business sells PPDS food
Check specific labelling guidance for PPDS food
PPDS update to the “Food allergen labelling and information: Technical Guidance
Sector-specific guidance on PPDS is available to support food businesses
We are here to help
If you need any support regarding Natasha’s Law please contact our team on 01252 705214 or hello@pelicanprocurement.co.uk
