Allergen labelling laws for prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) foods

From 1 October 2021 the requirements for labelling prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) food changed across the UK.

This applies to any food businesses that produce PPDS food including:

• bakers
• butchers
• mobile sellers
• street vendors
• fast food restaurants
• take away restaurants
• schools and nurseries
• colleges and universities
• event caterers
• cafés
• pubs

PPDS food is food that is packaged at the same place it is offered or sold to consumers. It is a single item, consisting of the food and its packaging, that is ready for presentation to the consumer before it is ordered or selected.

This may mean changes to labelling for foods such as pizza or sandwiches which are packaged on the premises before the consumer orders them. Any food business selling PPDS food will be required to label it with the name of the food and a full list of ingredients with allergenic ingredients emphasised within the list.

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Pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS) toolkit for food businesses

What do businesses need to know about PPDS food?

• Introduction to PPDS allergen labelling changes (external link)
• Labelling guidance for PPDS food products (external link)
• Technical guidance - Food allergen labelling and information (external link)
• Allergen and ingredients food labelling decision tool (external link)
• PPDS food labelling webinar for UK food businesses (external link)

Sector-specific PPDS guidance

Is your business ready? Find out what you need to do.

• PPDS allergen labelling changes for bakers (external link)
• PPDS allergen labelling changes for butchers (external link)
• PPDS allergen labelling changes for mobile sellers and street vendors (external link)
• PPDS allergen labelling changes for event caterers (external link)
• PPDS allergen labelling changes for fast food and takeaway restaurants (external link)
• PPDS allergen labelling changes for schools, colleges and nurseries (external link)
• PPDS allergen labelling changes for restaurants, cafés and pubs (external link)

Be allergy aware

More advice on catering for customers with allergies can be found in Be Allergy Aware (PDF 1.55MB)

For further information visit theFood Standards Agency - Allegen guidance for businesses (external link)

Guidance is available in multiple languages on food allergen awareness from the Charted Trading Standards Institute's Food Allergen Resource (external link) and their YouTube channel (external link).

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