In the UK, food businesses must provide information about any of 14 major allergens when they are used as ingredients in the food and drink they provide. The way the information is communicated to the customer depends on what kind of business they are (e.g. retail or catering), and how the food is presented. The rules differ depending on whether the food they sell is:
- Prepacked (for example, labelled food sold at retail)
- Prepacked for direct sale (for example, sandwiches prepared and wrapped on-site before the customer has selected/ordered)
- Non-prepacked/loose food (for example food sold in restaurants and takeaways, or packed at the customer’s request, such as at in-store bakery and delicatessen counters)
