Allergen regulations
explained clearly.
What the law requires, what's changing, and what it means for your restaurant.
Allergen regulation in the UK is evolving. What was once a paper-based compliance exercise is becoming a digital, transparent, guest-facing expectation. Here's what you need to know.
We're not lawyers. This is a plain-language summary to help operators understand their obligations. For definitive guidance, consult the Food Standards Agency.
Food Information Regulations 2014
Active · 2014The core UK regulation requiring food businesses to declare the 14 major allergens. Applies to all food sold or provided to consumers, whether pre-packed, loose, or eaten on premises.
Key requirements
- All 14 major allergens must be declared when present in food
- Applies to restaurants, cafes, takeaways, and any food business
- Allergen information can be provided verbally, but must be verifiable and consistent
- Staff must be able to direct customers to allergen information
- Enforced by local authority trading standards and environmental health officers
What this means for you
This is the regulation your restaurant operates under every day. It sets the baseline for allergen communication — but the baseline is a floor, not a ceiling.
Natasha’s Law
Active · 2021Named after Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, who died from an allergic reaction to a Pret a Manger baguette in 2016. Requires full ingredient labelling on all food that is pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS).
Key requirements
- Full ingredient lists required on all PPDS food (e.g., sandwiches made on-site and wrapped for sale)
- All 14 allergens must be emphasised within the ingredient list
- Came into effect October 2021
- Extended existing labelling requirements beyond factory-produced pre-packed food
- Does not apply to food made fresh to order or served loose — those are covered by FIR 2014
What this means for you
If your kitchen pre-packs any food for sale — sandwiches, salads, baked goods — Natasha’s Law applies. Even if you primarily serve loose food, this law reflects the direction of regulation: more transparency, not less.
Owen’s Law
Proposed · TBCNamed after Owen Carey, who died from an allergic reaction at a Byron Burger restaurant in 2017. Proposes mandatory written allergen information at point-of-order for all non-prepacked food.
Key requirements
- Would require written allergen declarations on or alongside menus in all food businesses
- Goes beyond current law, which allows verbal-only allergen communication for non-prepacked food
- Supported by Owen’s family and allergy campaigners across the UK
- Would bring restaurant allergen disclosure closer to retail standards
- Currently at consultation stage — expected to influence upcoming FSA guidance reviews
What this means for you
Owen’s Law hasn’t passed yet. But it signals where regulation is heading. Restaurants that already provide written, accessible allergen information won’t need to scramble when it does.
ADDE Act (California)
International · 2025The Allergen Disclosure for Dining Experiences Act, enacted in California in October 2025. Requires large restaurant chains to list the top nine allergens for every menu item from July 2026.
Key requirements
- Applies to restaurants with 20 or more locations nationally
- Top nine allergens must be declared for every menu item
- Information must be displayed on menus or via digital/QR format
- Allergen disclosures must be updated whenever recipes change
- First major US legislation requiring dish-level allergen disclosure in restaurants
What this means for you
This is American legislation, but it matters here. It shows global regulatory convergence. The question isn’t whether the UK will follow — it’s when.
What's coming next
March 2026 (expected)
FSA review of March 2025 guidance for out-of-home allergen information. May introduce stricter requirements for written allergen communication.
July 2026
ADDE Act enforcement begins in California. Large US chains must declare allergens on every menu item.
Owen's Law (date TBC)
If enacted, would require written allergen information at point-of-order across all UK food businesses.
Related resources
Ready before the regulation is.
See how Ingredifind helps you stay ahead of allergen compliance.