Allergen training requirements UK 2026: what the law says

UK allergen law sits in two pieces. Retained EU Regulation 1169/2011 on food information, enforced in England by the Food Information Regulations 2014, requires accurate allergen information for the 14 regulated allergens. Natasha’s Law, in force since 1 October 2021, adds full ingredient labelling with allergens emphasised on food pre-packed for direct sale.

Neither piece names a training certificate. Both depend entirely on staff who know what the 14 allergens are and where they hide, which is why allergen training is the practical way food businesses meet the duty.

Allergic reactions cause approximately 10 deaths per year in the UK and thousands of hospitalisations. Getting allergen management wrong means putting customers at risk of serious harm, and it can also mean unlimited fines, criminal prosecution, or forced closure. This guide sets out the legal framework, who needs training, how often to refresh it, and how to get your team compliant.

Current UK allergen law

Allergen management in UK food businesses is governed by two key pieces of legislation.

EU Food Information for Consumers Regulation (EU FIC)

The EU Food Information for Consumers Regulation (retained in UK law after Brexit) requires food businesses to provide accurate allergen information to consumers. For food sold loose, which includes most restaurant, cafe, and takeaway meals, businesses must be able to tell customers which of the 14 major allergens are present in each dish.

This information can be provided verbally, but there must be a system in place to ensure it is accurate and consistent. Staff must be able to direct customers to written allergen information when asked.

Natasha’s Law (October 2021)

Natasha’s Law (the UK Food Information Amendment) came into effect on 1 October 2021, following the death of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse from an allergic reaction to a pre-packed sandwich. The law requires that all food that is pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS), such as sandwiches, salads, and baked goods made and wrapped on the same premises where they are sold, must carry a full ingredients list with the 14 major allergens clearly emphasised.

Before Natasha’s Law, PPDS food was exempt from full labelling requirements. Now, every item in this category must have a label listing all ingredients, with allergens highlighted in bold, italics, or a different colour.

This applies to cafes, bakeries, sandwich shops, delis, and any food business that pre-packs food for direct sale on site.

The 14 major allergens

Under UK law, there are 14 allergens that must be declared when present in food. Every member of staff who handles or serves food should be able to identify all of them.

1. Celery, including celeriac (found in soups, stocks, and seasonings)
2. Cereals containing gluten: wheat, rye, barley, oats, and their derivatives
3. Crustaceans such as prawns, crab, lobster, and crayfish
4. Eggs, found in cakes, mayonnaise, pasta, and many sauces
5. Fish, including fish sauce (present in some Asian dishes and Worcestershire sauce)
6. Lupin, a legume found in some flour blends and baked goods
7. Milk, including lactose (found in butter, cheese, cream, and many processed foods)
8. Molluscs: mussels, oysters, squid, and snails
9. Mustard, including mustard powder, seeds, and oil
10. Nuts: almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, Brazil nuts, pistachios, and macadamia nuts
11. Peanuts, a legume separate from tree nuts
12. Sesame seeds and oil, found in bread, hummus, and Asian dishes
13. Soya, found in tofu, soy sauce, and many processed foods
14. Sulphur dioxide and sulphites at concentrations above 10mg/kg, found in wine, dried fruits, and some processed meats

These 14 allergens must be highlighted whenever they appear in a food product, whether on a label (for pre-packed and PPDS food) or communicated verbally or in writing (for loose food).

Who needs allergen training?

Anyone who handles, prepares, or serves food. That is the short answer, and it is not an exaggeration.

Chefs and kitchen staff are responsible for preparing food and preventing cross-contamination. Front-of-house staff communicate allergen information to customers. Bar staff handle drinks and bar snacks that frequently contain allergens. Catering assistants work in food preparation environments where allergen controls apply. Retail food workers label, package, and sell food products. Managers and supervisors are responsible for making sure systems are in place and staff are trained. Production operatives need Food Allergens in Manufacturing, because segregation and label control on a line work differently from a restaurant kitchen.

It is the food business operator’s responsibility to ensure that all staff are adequately trained. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) recommends that allergen training forms part of every food handler’s induction and is refreshed regularly.

How often should staff receive allergen training?

There is no legal renewal period for allergen training. The Food Standards Agency expects it at induction and kept current after that. Common practice is a refresher at least every three years, and immediately whenever a recipe, supplier, or menu changes. Record the date each person was trained, because that record is what an inspector asks for.

Menu changes are the trigger people forget. A new supplier for the same product can bring a different allergen profile, and a “may contain” line that was not there last month makes yesterday’s allergen matrix wrong. Reissuing the matrix is not enough on its own if nobody walks the team through what changed.

Penalties for non-compliance

The consequences for getting this wrong are severe.

Local authorities can issue improvement notices that require you to fix identified problems within a set timeframe, or prohibition orders that prevent you from operating until the issues are resolved. Allergen offences can result in unlimited fines in the Crown Court. In the most serious cases, particularly where an allergic reaction leads to injury or death, individuals can face criminal charges including manslaughter. Your food hygiene rating will also suffer, since allergen management is assessed as part of local authority inspections.

The human cost outweighs even these legal penalties. Proper allergen training is about protecting people’s lives.

How to comply

Meeting your allergen obligations involves three areas: training, labelling, and communication.

Training

Every member of staff who handles or serves food should complete allergen awareness training. They need to understand the 14 major allergens and where they commonly appear, how to prevent allergen cross-contamination during preparation and service, how to respond when a customer asks about allergens, and what to do in an emergency if someone has an allergic reaction.

Training should be part of every new starter’s induction and refreshed regularly for existing staff.

Labelling

For pre-packed food and PPDS food, you must ensure that labels are accurate, up to date, and clearly highlight all 14 allergens present. This means maintaining accurate recipes and ingredient records, updating labels whenever recipes or suppliers change, making sure allergens are emphasised (bold, italics, or colour) on every label, and having a system to check labels before food goes on sale.

Communication

For loose food (most restaurant and cafe meals), you need a reliable system for communicating allergen information to customers. Options include a written allergen matrix or chart accessible to staff and customers, menu annotations highlighting allergen content, verbal communication from trained staff backed by written records, and clear signage directing customers to ask about allergens.

Consistency is what matters most. Staff must know where to find allergen information and how to communicate it accurately every time.

Our Allergen Awareness and Food Intolerances course covers all of this in detail and is included in every Chefs Bay Academy licence alongside 130+ other hospitality courses.

Frequently asked questions

Is allergen training a legal requirement in the UK?

There is no specific legal requirement to hold an allergen awareness certificate. However, food businesses are legally required to provide accurate allergen information to consumers and to ensure that staff are adequately trained to do so. The Food Standards Agency strongly recommends formal allergen training for all food handlers. Having certified staff demonstrates compliance and due diligence during inspections.

Which staff should receive training in allergen awareness?

Anyone who prepares, handles, serves, or gives information about food. That covers chefs, kitchen porters, waiting staff, baristas, bar staff who serve snacks, delivery drivers who answer customer questions, and the managers who own the allergen matrix. Office roles with no contact with food or customers are the usual exception.

Does Natasha’s Law apply to all food businesses?

Natasha’s Law specifically applies to food that is pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS), meaning food that is made and packed on the same premises where it is sold, before a customer selects it. This includes items like sandwiches and salads made in-house and wrapped for display. It does not change the existing requirements for loose food (which must still have allergen information available) or fully pre-packed food (which already required full ingredient labelling).

What should I do if a customer has an allergic reaction?

Call 999 immediately if someone is having a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis). If the person carries an adrenaline auto-injector (such as an EpiPen), help them use it if they are unable to do so themselves. Do not leave them alone. After the incident, document what happened, what food was involved, and report it to your manager and local environmental health team. This is exactly the kind of scenario that proper allergen training prepares your staff to handle.

Allergen training on file for everyone who touches food

The allergen question comes at the worst moment, mid-service, from a customer who needs a straight answer. Training is how you make sure the answer is right every time, and the certificate is how you show the local authority you took it seriously. Allergen Awareness costs £35 per person alongside Food Hygiene Level 2, Food Safety Level 3, and 130+ other courses on the same licence.

All these courses are included in your Chefs Bay Academy licence — £35 for instant access to 130+ courses.