What is Natasha's Law?
Natasha's Law refers to the UK Food Information Amendment, which came into force on 1 October 2021. It was named after Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, who died in 2016 after suffering an allergic reaction to a sesame-containing baguette that wasn't labelled with allergen information.
The law introduced new labelling requirements for pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS) food — food that is packaged on the same premises where it is sold.
Who does it affect?
Natasha's Law affects any food business that packs food on the premises where it's sold, including:
- Sandwich shops and delis
- Bakeries
- Supermarket deli counters and bakery sections
- School and hospital canteens
- Cafes and coffee shops that pre-pack items
- Restaurants offering pre-packaged takeaway food
If you make a sandwich in the morning and put it in a wrapper for customers to pick up later, that's PPDS food — and it must be labelled under Natasha's Law.
What must be on the label?
Every PPDS food item must have a label that includes:
- The name of the food
- A full ingredients list, with all 14 major allergens emphasised (e.g. bold, italics, or different colour)
The 14 major allergens under UK law
- Celery
- Cereals containing gluten (including wheat, rye, barley and oats)
- Crustaceans (e.g. prawns, crabs, lobster)
- Eggs
- Fish
- Lupin
- Milk
- Molluscs (e.g. mussels, oysters, squid)
- Mustard
- Nuts (tree nuts including almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, Brazils, pistachios, macadamias)
- Peanuts
- Sesame seeds
- Soybeans
- Sulphur dioxide/sulphites (at concentrations of more than 10mg/kg or 10mg/litre)
What doesn't count as PPDS?
Not all food needs PPDS labelling. Food that isn't PPDS includes:
- Food packaged in front of the customer on request (made-to-order sandwiches, etc.)
- Food sold loose (unwrapped items)
- Food sold by distance (e.g. delivered directly from a restaurant)
However, all food businesses still have obligations to provide allergen information for food sold loose or made to order — they just don't have to be on a physical label.
How to stay compliant
1. Know what's in every dish
You need an accurate, up-to-date ingredients list for every PPDS item you sell. This means knowing:
- Every ingredient and sub-ingredient
- Every sauce, seasoning, or garnish
- Any shared equipment or surfaces that could cause cross-contamination
2. Keep your allergen information updated
Every time a recipe changes — even slightly — your labels must be updated. This is one of the biggest challenges for food businesses using paper-based systems.
With a digital allergen management system, changing an ingredient updates the allergen information immediately across all your records.
3. Print compliant labels
Every PPDS item needs a physical label. Labels can be printed in-house using label printing software connected to your recipe management system — this is how CompliChef's Allergy Hub works.
4. Train your staff
Everyone who handles food or serves customers should understand:
- What the 14 allergens are
- How to identify them in dishes
- What to do if a customer asks about allergens
- How to avoid cross-contamination
5. Document everything
In the event of an allergic reaction, you'll need to demonstrate that you had proper systems in place. Keep records of:
- Your allergen matrix for all dishes
- Staff training records
- Any complaints or incidents relating to allergens
- Supplier information for all ingredients
The consequences of non-compliance
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and local authorities can enforce Natasha's Law. Consequences include:
- Improvement notices
- Fixed monetary penalties
- Prosecution under the Food Safety Act 1990 and the Food Information Regulations 2014
More importantly, a customer suffering an allergic reaction because of incorrect or missing labelling can have devastating consequences — both human and legal.
How KitchenPortal helps
CompliChef KitchenPortal's Allergy Hub is designed to make Natasha's Law compliance straightforward:
- Track all 14 allergens against every dish in your menu
- Filter your entire menu by any allergen in one click
- Print Natasha's Law compliant labels directly from the system
- Keep allergen information updated whenever recipes change
*Struggling with allergen management? [Try CompliChef free](https://portal.complichef.co.uk/signup.php) and get your Allergy Hub set up in minutes.*
