Your Natasha’s Law Checklist

Do you know what Natasha’s Law is?

The UK Food Information (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2019 is a change to food legislation also (and commonly) known as “Natasha’s Law”, that comes into effect on 1 October 2021. You can read it in full here.

It has been created to protect those with allergies and was passed after much lobbying by the parents of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, the teenager who died after suffering a fatal allergic reaction to a pre-packaged sandwich that contained sesame - the packaging of which did not declare any allergen information as it had been prepared on site.

Natasha’s Law means that food businesses will now be required to provide emphasis allergen information and a full ingredients list on foods prepackaged for direct sale on the premises.

Do you know if it affects you?

Natasha’s Law affects businesses in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. If you are in one of these territories and sell or provide PPDS (Pre-packed for Direct Sale) food to your customers or consumers this will impact your business.

The FSA has a handy tool to help you to identify the type of food your business provides and the allergen labelling requirements. You can use the Allergen and ingredients food labelling decision tool here.

Even if you are not a Caterer or Retailer Natasha’s Law might affect you - food businesses supplying food and ingredients, from operator to operator, have a duty to pass food information down the supply chain.

As recommended by the FSA they should “ensure that food businesses are provided with sufficient information to allow them, where appropriate, to meet their labelling obligations as set out in food law”.

Do you know what PPDS is?

PPDS stands for Pre Packed for Direct Sale, and it refers to food that is packaged on the same premises it is offered or sold before it is ordered or selected. PPDS products may be kept in a warming unit or a display, they may be kept behind a counter or sold at a mobile outlet.

Any food not in packaging, or packaged after being ordered or selected by the customer/consumer does not count as PPDS and Natasha’s Law labelling requirements does not apply.

Food packed by one business which is then sold to another business is also not PPDS - however, it is already required to have full labelling (including allergen ingredients emphasised).

You can find FSA guidance on PPDS food here and our refresher on PPDS here.

Do you know what should appear on a Natasha’s Law compliant PPDS label?

A label for PPDS food products must show:

• The name of the food
• An ingredients list
• Any of the 14 allergens present in the food emphasised in the ingredients list.

Any ingredients containing the 14 major food allergens must have the allergen emphasised every time they appear in the ingredients list.

You can find more detailed information about each of the requirements here.

Are you able to create a Natasha’s Law compliant label for your products?

A legislation compliant label is the cornerstone of Natasha’s Law.

The Erudus Recipe Builder now allows you to automatically generate an ingredient label for your individual recipes, with allergen ingredients emphasised. The tool also automatically calculates the percentage of the recipe each ingredient makes up, and presents the list in QUID (Quantitative Ingredient Declaration) format.

A copy button allows you to paste this label directly into your preferred labelling solution. Find out more here.

Here at Erudus we also have Integration Partnerships with several leading food labelling specialists, you take a look at them here.

Do you know what the 14 major food allergens are?

There are 14 major food allergens that are required to be emphasised on PPDS labelling ingredients lists.

These are

• Celery
• Cereals containing Gluten
• Crustaceans
• Eggs
• Fish
• Lupin
• Milk
• Molluscs
• Mustard
• Nuts (Tree Nuts)
• Peanuts
• Sesame
• Soya
• Sulphur Dioxide (Sulphites)

Find out more about the 14 major food allergens on our allergens page.

Do you know where to look for further information and guidance around Natasha’s Law?

The Food Standard Agency’s website is your safest go-to when it comes to food legislation and government regulations and guidance. Check out their guidance to help food businesses meet labelling requirements for prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) food.