Lincolnshire Trading Standards is encouraging businesses to prepare for upcoming allergen labelling changes.
On 1 October 2021 the law on allergen labelling for prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) foods will change. This means that any food business selling prepacked foods for direct sale will have to include full ingredients on the product label with allergenic ingredients emphasised within that list.
Also known as ‘Natasha’s Law’, the changes come following the death of teenager Natasha Ednan-Laperouse in 2016 from an allergic reaction caused by a prepacked baguette which, at the time, did not require allergen labelling.
Prepacked foods can include salads and sandwiches that customers select themselves, pre-wrapped foods kept behind a counter, as well as some products packaged and sold at mobile or temporary outlets.
To help support food businesses, the Food Standards Agency has launched a PPDS Hub featuring helpful information including new labelling guidance for PPDS foods and sector guides. Their guides for bakery, butchers, fast food and takeaways, mobile sellers, restaurants, cafes and pubs, and schools each give practical information on PPDS and how these changes could impact a food business.
The FSA will be hosting a webinar for food businesses on 4 August. This webinar is open to business across Lincolnshire, and the rest of England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and will feature a range of speakers including business representatives who will talk more about what they've done to prepare for these changes and what they've learnt along the way.
Paul Dolby from Lincolnshire Trading Standards said: “With less than three months to go, we are encouraging our food businesses currently selling these prepacked products to visit the FSA website and register for the food business webinar. It is important that businesses make full use of the information available ahead of the 1 October deadline.”
To register for the prepacked foods webinar, please visit ppdsbusiness.fsaevents.co.uk/home#register.
If you cannot make the webinar, a recording will be made available on the PPDS Hub of the FSA website afterwards.