Food businesses in the retail and catering sector are required by law to provide accurate allergen information and manage food allergens safely.
This applies to all food supplied, including food that it:
- Sold
- Provided free of charge
- Prepacked
- Non - prepacked (loose food)
Food business operators must:
- Provide allergen information to the consumers
- Handle and manage allergens effectively during all stages of production including storage, preparation and service.
The Food Standards Agency has a guide for providing allergen information and best practice for handling allergens.
Food labelling changes - Natasha's Law
From 1 October 2021, changes to food labelling law for Prepacked for Direct Sale (PPDS) foods came into force in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. These changes, commonly known as Natasha's Law require PPDS foods to be labelling with:
- A full ingredients list
- Clear allergen emphasis
The Food Standards Agency have produced:
- Sector specific guidance for food businesses
- A free PPDS webinar for small and micro food businesses
- A labelling tool to help determine whether PPDS rules apply to your business and what you need to do
Trading Standards & Local Support
Derbyshire Trading Standards team can provide bespoke advice on allergen compliance. This is a chargeable service and can be requested by submitting a business advice request form.
Multilingual allergen resources have been produced by partner local authorities and can be accessed here.
For further information please contact the food safety team at food@chesterfield.gov.uk.
The 14 allergens
Food law requires information to be provided for the following 14 allergens:
- Celery
- Cereals containing gluten
- Crustaceans
- Eggs
- Fish
- Lupin
- Milk
- Molluscs
- Mustard
- Peanuts
- Sesame
- Soybeans
- Sulphur dioxide and sulphites (if they are at a concentration of more than 10 parts per million)
- Tree nuts
Image source: Chartered Institute of Trading Standards. Image can be accessed here
What food businesses must do
Identify allergens
Carry out an assessment of the allergens that are present in all the food items that you serve or sell. Many businesses use an allergen matrix to do this, this should be:
- Accurate
- kept up to date
- Reviewed when menus, ingredients or suppliers change
Below is a template allergen matrix that you may wish to use.
| Allergens Matrix |  (Word 161 KB) |
Provide allergen information to customers
This may be done by:
- Adding the information to your menu
- Providing an information sheet to customers
- Verbally communication by trained staff
- Displaying signage advising customers how to obtain allergen information. An example sign can be found here.
It is also important that customers ordering online, via food delivery platforms or by phone are also asked about allergen requirements.
Train staff
Staff must be appropriately trained to:
- Understand allergen risks
- Know where to find accurate allergen information
- Provide customers with accurate allergen information
- Know when queries should be referred to a suitably trained manager
Allergen incidents can be fatal and a staff should treat allergen requests with the same seriousness as any other food safety risks.
The Food Standards Agency have produced a free of charge online food allergy and intolerance training course which can be accessed here.
Allergen checklists for managers, kitchen staff, front of house staff and delivery staff, are available on their website.
Allergen management training and support for local food businesses
We are currently working with Food Allergy Aware to support food businesses across Chesterfield and as part of this we are providing subsidised accredited allergen training. The following training courses are currently available:
- Level 3 Award in Allergen Management in Catering. 18 May 2026 (Full Day) at Chesterfield Borough Council Town Hall
This course is designed for supervisors, managers and business owners who are responsible for food safety and allergen controls. This advanced qualification covers:
- Developing and implementing allergen policies
- Managing supplier and ingredient information
- Training and supervising staff
- Embedding robust allergen controls across the whole operation
Discounted price: £85 per person or £75 per person if multiple bookings are made for the same course. The normal standard rate for this course is £175 per person.
You can book to attend this course here
- Level 2 Award in Food Allergen Awareness & Control in Catering 19 May 2026 (Half Day) at Chesterfield Borough Council Town Hall
Ideal for anyone working in a food-handling role, including chefs, kitchen assistance, front-of-house staff and managers. This course covers:
- Identifying the 14 allergens
- Preventing cross contamination
- Legal requirements
- Communicating allergen information accurately to customers
Discounted price: £55 per person or £45 per person if multiple bookings are made for the same course. The normal standard rate for this course is £85 per person.
You can book to attend this course here
Food Allergy Aware also offer free downloadable tools that can help you to review and strengthen allergen management systems. Their resource pack can be downloaded here.
They is also practical guidance and resources available from the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, this can be accessed here.
Other food allergies and intolerances
Consumers may be allergic or have intolerance to other ingredients, but only the 14 allergens are required to be declared by food law. Find out more about food allergy and intolerance.
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Providing allergen information is regulated through the Food Information Regulations 2014 Regulation 5.