Allergen Compliance Checklist for UK Food Businesses (2026)

Five years on from Natasha's Law and with the FSA's 2025 written-information guidance now embedded in routine EHO inspections, allergen compliance in 2026 is no longer about whether you have a system – it's about whether you can prove it works. Officers are arriving with sharper expectations, and the businesses being flagged are usually the ones who couldn't produce written evidence on the spot.

Whether you run a restaurant, café, bakery, catering company, or food-to-go outlet, your legal obligations come from two main pieces of legislation: the Food Information Regulations (FIR) 2014 for non-prepacked food, and Natasha's Law for pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS) items.

This 2026 checklist covers both. Use it to audit your current allergen management and identify any gaps before your next EHO inspection.

The 14 UK Allergens

Before anything else, make sure you and your team know the 14 allergens that must be declared under UK law:

1Celery (including celeriac)
2Cereals containing gluten (wheat, rye, barley, oats)
3Crustaceans (prawns, crab, lobster)
4Eggs
5Fish
6Lupin
7Milk (including lactose)
8Molluscs (mussels, oysters, squid)
9Mustard
10Peanuts
11Sesame
12Soybeans (soya)
13Sulphur dioxide / sulphites (at levels above 10mg/kg or 10mg/litre)
14Tree nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, brazils, pistachios, macadamias)

For a deeper look at each allergen, see our guide to understanding food allergens.

Part 1: Non-Prepacked Food (FIR 2014)

This covers food prepared and sold on the same premises without packaging – think restaurant meals, café dishes, bakery items sold over the counter, and catering platters.

Allergen Information

✅

Every menu item has allergen information recorded for all 14 allergens

✅

Allergen information is available in writing (not just "ask a member of staff")

✅

The FSA's 2025 best practice guidance on written allergen information has been reviewed

✅

Allergen data is updated every time a recipe changes or an ingredient is substituted

✅

Daily specials, seasonal items, and limited-edition products are included

✅

Drinks (including those containing milk, sulphites, or gluten) are covered

Customer Communication

✅

Customers can access allergen information before ordering

✅

QR code menus or digital displays are available for self-service allergen checks

✅

If verbal communication is used, a written notice directs customers to ask

✅

Staff know how to respond when a customer declares an allergy

Staff Training

✅

All food-handling and customer-facing staff have received allergen training

✅

Training covers all 14 allergens and how to prevent cross-contamination

✅

Training records are maintained with dates and attendee names

✅

New starters receive allergen training before serving customers

✅

Staff understand their legal responsibilities around allergens

Cross-Contamination Controls

✅

Procedures exist to prevent cross-contamination during preparation

✅

Separate utensils, boards, or preparation areas are used where practical

✅

Cleaning procedures between allergen and non-allergen preparation are documented

✅

Ingredients are stored in labelled, sealed containers

✅

"May contain" information is provided where cross-contamination risk exists

Record Keeping

✅

Supplier ingredient specifications are held for all purchased ingredients

✅

Allergen records are kept in a format that is easy to access and update

✅

Records show when allergen information was last reviewed or updated

✅

A system is in place to flag when supplier ingredients change

Part 2: Pre-Packed for Direct Sale – PPDS (Natasha's Law)

This covers food that is packaged on the same premises where it is sold – sandwiches wrapped and placed in a chiller, boxed salads, labelled cakes, and similar items. For full details on PPDS requirements, see our Natasha's Law compliance guide.

Labelling

✅

Every PPDS item has a label listing the product name and full ingredients

✅

All 14 allergens present in the product are emphasised in the ingredients list (e.g., bold, underline, or CAPITALS)

✅

Labels are legible, durable, and attached to the packaging (not loose)

✅

Labels are updated when recipes or ingredients change

Ingredients Management

✅

Full ingredient lists are maintained for every PPDS product

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Compound ingredients are broken down to show individual allergens

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Supplier specification sheets are used as the source of truth for ingredients

✅

A process exists to update labels when suppliers change their formulations

Production Controls

✅

PPDS items are prepared following documented recipes

✅

Ingredient substitutions trigger a label review and update

✅

Production records link each batch to the ingredients and labels used

Part 3: Operational Best Practice

These aren't strictly legal requirements, but they represent best practice that EHOs look for and that protects your business.

Documentation

✅

Allergen management policy is documented and accessible to all staff

✅

An allergen incident log exists to record and learn from any allergen-related issues

✅

Supplier allergen information is reviewed regularly (at least annually)

Technology

✅

A digital allergen management system is used to maintain and display allergen data – see how Allergenius works

✅

QR code menus allow customers to check allergens independently

✅

Allergen updates are reflected in real time across all menus and locations

✅

Digital records provide an audit trail for EHO inspections

Multi-Site Operations

✅

Allergen information is consistent across all locations

✅

Central oversight exists for allergen data across sites

✅

New locations are set up with allergen records before opening

✅

Menu changes at one site are reviewed for allergen impact across all sites

How to Use This Checklist

1Print or save this page and work through each section
2Tick off items you already comply with
3Flag gaps and create an action plan with deadlines
4Assign responsibility for each action to a named person
5Review quarterly – allergen compliance isn't a one-time task

If you're managing allergens across a busy kitchen, multiple menus, or several locations, a digital system makes this dramatically easier. Allergenius lets you record allergens against every menu item, generate QR code menus, and keep everything current – so you're always ready when the EHO visits.

Common Mistakes This Checklist Catches

Based on the most common allergen compliance failures seen by Environmental Health Officers:

Relying on "ask staff" with no written backup
Forgetting to include drinks in allergen records
Not updating allergen data when suppliers change ingredients
Missing allergen info for specials and seasonal items
No evidence of staff training

If any of these apply to your business, this checklist will help you fix them.

FAQ

Is this checklist legally required? No specific checklist format is required by law, but the underlying requirements (FIR 2014 and Natasha's Law) are legally binding. This checklist helps you verify that you meet those requirements.

How often should I review allergen compliance? At minimum, review whenever you change your menu, switch suppliers, or receive updated ingredient specifications. A quarterly full review is good practice.

Do I need a digital system to be compliant? No – compliance can be achieved with paper records. However, digital systems are faster to update, easier to maintain across multiple locations, and provide the kind of organised records that EHOs value during inspections.

What's the difference between FIR 2014 and Natasha's Law? FIR 2014 covers non-prepacked food (meals served in restaurants, food sold loose over a counter). Natasha's Law covers PPDS food (items packaged on the same premises where they're sold). Both require allergen information, but Natasha's Law additionally requires a full ingredients list with allergens emphasised on the label.

Where can I find more guidance on allergen compliance? The Food Standards Agency provides official guidance. For practical implementation, our allergen compliance tool guide and industry-specific pages cover how to apply the rules in different food business settings. You can also download a free allergen matrix template to get started with paper-based tracking.