Guide · Allergen labels
Allergen labels: what UK law actually requires
"Allergen labels" covers three very different things — warning stickers, "may contain" advice, and full PPDS ingredient labels. A warning sticker does not replace a full ingredients list where one is required. Choose the information your product and selling arrangement need.
The three kinds of allergen label
| Label type | What it is | When it's legally enough |
|---|---|---|
| Warning sticker | Generic "Allergens: ask a member of staff" or single-allergen stickers ("Contains nuts"). | Only as a signpost for non-prepacked food, alongside real allergen information (a matrix or verbal process). Never sufficient on its own for prepacked or PPDS food. |
| "May contain" advice | Voluntary cross-contamination warning ("May contain: sesame"). | Additional to — never instead of — the ingredient declaration. Use it only where a real, unmanageable risk exists; blanket use erodes customer trust and inspectors know it. |
| Full PPDS ingredient label | Name of the food + complete ingredients list in weight order with the 14 allergens emphasised (bold). | Required on all food prepacked for direct sale — grab-and-go sandwiches, boxed cakes, packed salads — under Natasha's Law. Also the standard for prepacked food generally. |
Which do you need?
- Made-to-order food (sandwich made after ordering, plated meals): no label needed — but you must provide allergen information, typically an allergen matrix plus a prompt to ask staff (a poster does this well).
- Packed before ordering, sold on the same premises: full PPDS label on every pack. Stickers don't cut it. See the worked example.
- Packed by one business and supplied to another (wholesale, retail): standard prepacked food rules — full labelling including allergen emphasis, plus more (nutrition etc. depending on scale). Beyond AllergenKit's scope; talk to your local EHO or a labelling consultant.
The same business packing elsewhere for its market stall or mobile outlet can still fall within PPDS. Distance sales have separate requirements, including allergen information before purchase and at delivery. Check the five PPDS scenarios and official sources.
Buying pre-printed stickers vs printing your own
Pre-printed allergen stickers are fine for what they legally are: signposts. The trap is relying on a "Contains: see staff" sticker where a full ingredient declaration is required. If any of your food is PPDS, you need labels with your recipes on them — using wording checked for each product. The free AllergenKit label maker formats and prints one browser-only label draft with no signup. AllergenKit Pro saves supplier ingredients and reusable recipes, then keeps future labels and records connected; it is £9/month after a seven-day free trial.
Five label mistakes to avoid
- Sticker used where a full PPDS label is required
- Allergens listed in a separate box but not emphasised within the ingredients list
- Compound ingredients not broken down (the mayonnaise problem — see the PPDS guide)
- Labels not updated after a recipe or supplier change
- Blanket "may contain everything" advice used instead of managing cross-contact (see the cross-contact poster)