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Natasha’s Law: labelling food you pack yourself ​

Since 1 October 2021, food that you pack on your own premises before a customer orders it has needed a full label: the name of the food and a complete ingredients list, with the 14 allergens emphasised. The rule is known as Natasha’s Law, and the food it covers is called “prepacked for direct sale”, or PPDS. Most takeaways and cafés have some PPDS food without thinking of it that way: a box of chips under a hot lamp, a wrapped sandwich, a pot of sauce. This guide explains how to tell what needs a label and what the label must say.

What counts as PPDS ​

Food is PPDS when all of these are true:

  • it is packed at the same place it is sold, or by the same business at another site it sells from, such as a market stall or van;
  • it is in its packaging before the customer orders or picks it;
  • the packaging fully or partly encloses it, so the food cannot be changed without opening or changing the packaging.

A sandwich in a folded paper bag, a cake wrapped in cling film and a pasta pot with a lid are all packaged in this sense. A burger on an open cardboard tray is not.

Common examples in takeaways and cafés ​

PPDS, so it needs a full label:

  • cartons of chips or nuggets packed and kept under a hot lamp;
  • breakfast or lunch boxes made up ready for sale;
  • wrapped paninis, sandwiches, salad boxes and boxed pizzas made in advance;
  • packaged burgers made ahead for a rush;
  • free extras packed in advance, such as a bag of prawn crackers. The rule applies whether the food is sold or given away.
  • drinks poured and lidded before anyone orders them, in anticipation of a rush.

Not PPDS:

  • food packed after the customer orders it, such as a takeaway boxed to order;
  • loose food on display, such as pizza slices on an open tray, fish and sausages in a glass counter, or chicken that is not boxed;
  • hot drinks made to order.

Food that is not PPDS still needs allergen information. You must be able to tell customers about the 14 allergens, but you can choose how, including by telling them.

Food you buy in already packed by another business is not PPDS either. It is ordinary prepacked food and should already carry a full label from the producer.

What the label must show ​

  • The name of the food.
  • A full ingredients list, following the legal rules for naming and listing ingredients.
  • The 14 allergens emphasised within that list, for example in bold, capitals, a contrasting colour or underlined, clearly enough for the customer to read.

Small sauce pots: if the largest surface of the packaging is under 10 cm², you do not need the full ingredients list on it, but you must still show a “contains” statement for allergens, such as “Contains: milk, egg, wheat”, and make the ingredients available in another way.

Changing a packed item to order: the label must match the food as it was packed. If you open it to add something the customer asks for, tell them about the allergens in what you added.

Phone, website and app orders ​

The PPDS label rule does not apply to food sold at a distance, such as orders by phone, on your website or through a delivery app. Instead, allergen information must be available:

  • before the customer completes the order, in writing (on the website or menu) or by phone; and
  • when the food is delivered, in writing (for example allergen stickers or a copy of the menu in the bag) or by phone.

The FSA also advises labelling takeaway dishes clearly so the customer knows which dish is which. See our allergen guide for how allergy requests should reach the kitchen.

A short checklist ​

  • List everything you pack before it is ordered, including free extras, sauces and drinks made ahead.
  • Give each one a label with its name, full ingredients and the 14 allergens emphasised.
  • Sauce pots under 10 cm²: at least a “contains” statement.
  • Re-check labels when a recipe or a supplier changes.
  • Phone, website and app orders: allergen information before the order is completed and again at delivery.
  • Food packed to order or sold loose: allergen information available on request.

How this works in Yumee POS ​

When a guest tells you about an allergy, staff can add it to the order, and it reaches the kitchen in writing, flagged on the kitchen screen and printed on the ticket. Labels for food you pack in advance come from your own recipes and ingredient lists.

Sources ​

This guide is general information, not legal advice. For your own products, use the FSA’s labelling decision tool or ask your council’s food safety team.