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UK allergen rules for restaurants, in plain English

Last updated: 20 October 2026 · By Alana Bralsford, co-founder and COO

In short:UK restaurants must tell guests which of the 14 major allergens are in every dish. You can do this in writing or verbally, as long as guests are clearly told where to find it. Since 2025, the FSA's best practice guidance says written information should be easily available, backed by a conversation with staff. There will be an open FSA board meeting on the 9th of December 2026, where Owen's Law policy options and next steps are expected to be discussed.

Served's co-founder and COO, Alana, met with the FSA on the 19th of October 2026 to discuss the guidance currently available and the ongoing development in allergen legislation.

A big part of Served's mission is to break down the stigma around allergies in hospitality, so we are providing this guide as a summary of where the rules stand today.

This is a summary, not legal advice, so always check official guidance for the exact wording.

In this guide

What does the law require restaurants to do today?

UK law requires restaurants to give guests accurate information about any of the 14 allergens in every dish they serve. The law does not specify how you need to do this. It can be written down or given verbally.

If the information isn't provided upfront, for example on the menu, you must clearly signpost where guests can access it. A note on the menu or a sign saying “Please ask a member of staff about allergens” is a common way to do this.

UK allergen rules come from retained Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011, implemented in England through the Food Information Regulations 2014, with equivalent rules in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. See the FSA's allergen guidance for food businesses for more information.

Do restaurants have to put allergens on the menu?

Not by law, as of October 2026. But since 2025, the FSA's best practice guidance for England, Wales and Northern Ireland says written allergen information should always be available, supported by a conversation with staff.

Evidence also supports that this is how guests prefer to receive allergen information. In 2025, 87% of adults with food hypersensitivities told the FSA they were confident that written allergen information was reliable, compared with 75% for verbal information (FSA, 2025).

“Written” does not have to mean printing allergens on your main menu. It could be a separate allergen menu, an allergen matrix, or a digital menu guests can check on their phone before they visit. In any form, it needs to be accurate, easy to find and kept up to date.

Why do allergen rules matter so much to guests?

Allergen rules matter because negative reactions when eating out are common, and they can be serious. In 2025, 42% of adults with a food allergy, intolerance or coeliac disease told the FSA they'd had a reaction to food from a restaurant, café or takeaway in the previous six months (FSA, 2025). A reaction can mean anything from an uncomfortable evening to an emergency trip to hospital.

42%

of adults with a food allergy, intolerance or coeliac disease had a reaction to food eaten out in the previous six months.

Food Standards Agency, 2025

At Served, we've been on both sides of the table. Some of our team know the anxiety of watching a server try to recall allergen information in the middle of a busy shift. Others have been that server – well-meaning, stretched and without a quick way to give a guest a confident answer.

The FSA's rules and guidance exist to close that gap. By following them you support and protect your guests and your team.

What are the 14 allergens?

UK law names 14 allergens that restaurants must declare whenever they're in a dish (FSA technical guidance):

  • Celery
  • Cereals containing gluten: wheat (including spelt and Khorasan), rye, barley and oats
  • Crustaceans: such as lobster, prawns and langoustines
  • Eggs: from all birds, including hen, duck and quail
  • Fish: such as tuna, salmon and cod
  • Lupin
  • Milk: from cows, sheep, goats, buffalo and other mammals
  • Molluscs: such as oysters, squid, mussels, scallops and snails
  • Mustard
  • Peanuts
  • Sesame
  • Soya
  • Sulphur dioxide and sulphites: above 10 parts per million
  • Tree nuts: almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, brazil nuts, pistachios and macadamias

What is Owen's Law, and when could it happen?

Owen's Law is a campaign to make written allergen information a legal requirement in UK restaurants. No date has been set, and as of October 2026 no bill has been introduced.

Owen Carey very sadly passed away in 2017 after an allergic reaction to buttermilk in a chicken burger at Byron restaurant. He had informed the server about his allergy and was told the dish was safe. Following his death, Owen's family have fought to change how UK restaurants display and share allergen information.

In December 2023, the FSA Board backed mandatory written allergen information. The government has since been evaluating the uptake of the 2025 best practice guidance. There will be a live-streamed, open FSA board meetingon the 9th of December 2026 where Owen's Law policy options and next steps are expected to be discussed.

The FSA's best practice guidance shares the principles of Owen's Law, providing written allergen information for every guest, supported by a conversation with staff. Following it now improves guest safety, whether or not legislation is passed. For resources on how you can support the campaign, please see the Owen's Law website.

Does Natasha's Law apply to restaurants?

Only to food that is packaged before a guest orders it. These items are known as “prepacked for direct sale” (PPDS). For example, sandwiches, salads or desserts packed in the morning and sold from a counter. Dishes made to order still need allergen information, but not a PPDS label; the rules in “What does the law require restaurants to do today?” apply instead.

For PPDS food, Natasha's Law requires a label showing its name and a full ingredients list, with allergens emphasised, for example in bold (FSA guidance on PPDS). PPDS food sold online or by phone is not required to carry the PPDS label, but allergen information must still be available before purchase and at delivery.

Natasha's Law came into force in October 2021 following the tragic passing of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse in 2016 due to a reaction to sesame in a baguette that did not list it as an allergen. Her family's charity, Natasha's Allergy Research Foundation, explains more about the law and shares ways you can support their continuing efforts for allergy reform.

What about takeaway and delivery?

Guests ordering by phone, online or through a delivery app need the same information as guests in your restaurant. Allergen information must be available before they order, for example, on your website or menu, and again when the food arrives, for example, on a sticker or label on the packaging or via a phone call (FSA distance-selling guidance).

As best practice, the FSA recommends making your allergen information available in written form at some point between a customer placing the order and receiving the delivery. Takeaway meals should be labelled clearly so customers know which dishes are safe for them to eat. Drivers should not be relied upon to answer allergy questions, so guests also need an easy way to contact you directly.

Is anything different in Scotland?

The core law and the 14 allergens are the same across the UK. The difference is who writes the guidance. In Scotland it's Food Standards Scotland, while the FSA's 2025 best practice guidance covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

If you have sites in Scotland, read Food Standards Scotland's guidance on managing allergens and try its free online allergen training.

What should my team know and do?

Good allergen management depends on everyone, from the kitchen to front of house. Make sure staff can provide accurate allergen information and know what to do if they are unsure.

Every team member should complete allergen training, and the FSA offers a free online course. If in doubt, always check, never guess.

In the kitchen

  • Know which allergens are in the food you buy and serve. Keep an accurate, up-to-date recipe record for every dish.
  • Check supplier specification sheets and product packaging. If an ingredient, recipe or supplier changes, update every allergen menu straight away.
  • Prevent or minimise cross-contamination through good storage, cleaning and preparation. For example, use separate areas and utensils, and clean thoroughly after contact with an allergen.

Front of house

  • Proactively ask every table if anyone has an allergy.
  • Give staff the training and tools to have confident, informed conversations with guests, including access to written, up-to-date allergen information they can check in seconds.
  • When a guest mentions an allergy or dietary requirement, listen, check the written information and ask the kitchen if there's any doubt. “Let me check for you” is always better than a guess.

This list isn't exhaustive. The simple allergen checklist below covers the basics.

What happens if a restaurant gets it wrong?

Getting allergen information wrong can be life threatening to a guest, lead to enforcement action and cost you their trust.

First, a guest could become seriously ill, and in the worst cases, a reaction can be fatal.

Second, you could face fines and reputational damage to your business. Allergen rules are enforced by local authorities. See the FSA's allergen guidance for food businesses.

Third, even if no reaction is caused, a guest with allergies who has a bad experience at a restaurant is unlikely to return. They may also share their experience publicly, through negative reviews or within the allergy community.

A simple allergen checklist for your team

  1. Know which of the 14 allergens are in every dish, including sauces, garnishes and drinks.
  2. Write this information down in a format guests and staff can easily access and read.
  3. Signpost it clearly on menus, at the till and online.
  4. Update it every time a recipe or supplier changes.
  5. Train every team member, and refresh training regularly.
  6. Ask every table about allergies, and talk to every guest who mentions one.
  7. Keep records of recipes, spec sheets and training.
  8. Consider a live, digital allergen menu, so every change reaches guests straight away.

See also the allergen checklist provided by the FSA.

Common questions

Can we just tell guests to ask a member of staff?

Legally, yes, as long as you clearly signpost this. The FSA's best practice guidance says written allergen information should always be available, backed by a conversation with staff.

Do we have to say “may contain”?

No, “may contain” warnings are voluntary (FSA precautionary allergen labelling guidance). Only use them when there's a real risk of cross-contact that you can't remove, not as a blanket disclaimer.

Do the rules cover drinks and cocktails?

Yes. Allergens are common in drinks, such as sulphites in wine, egg white in cocktails and milk in cream liqueurs. All 14 allergens must be declared in drinks, just as in food (FSA allergen guidance for food businesses).

What should we do when a supplier changes an ingredient?

Check the new specification sheet and update your allergen records before the dish goes back on sale. Make sure the change reaches every menu, in your restaurant and online (FSA allergen checklist).

When can we call a dish “gluten-free”?

Only when it contains no more than 20mg/kg (20 parts per million) of gluten (FSA allergen guidance for food businesses). That means controlling cross-contamination in the kitchen as well as choosing the right ingredients. If you can't prevent cross-contamination, the FSA says you shouldn't make gluten-free claims.

How Served can help

Served is a London-based allergen management platform that helps restaurant operators and groups publish live, filterable digital allergen menus. When an ingredient changes, every menu updates instantly, so guests and staff can have informed conversations based on a single source of truth. Read more in What is Served?

“I've had severe peanut and tree-nut allergies my entire life, so I've seen first-hand how allergen management can go wrong in restaurants. We built Served because the right technology offers a better, safer solution.”
– Eve Williamson, co-founder and CEO

Sources

Sources last checked: 20 October 2026.

The law and official guidance

Research

Owen's Law and Natasha's Law

Scotland

Tools for your team