In 2016, Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, aged 15, passed away on a plane after consuming sesame seeds that were baked into the dough of a baguette. The label on the packaging did not include the ingredient that was fatal for Natasha. It is estimated that 1 in 5 people in the UK suffer from an allergy, therefore inadequate food labels were posing a real risk to the public.
In response, on the 1st October 2021, Natasha’s Law came into effect.
Natasha’s Law applies to PPDS foods that are prepacked and sold to consumers on the same premises, whether this product is selected from a fridge or display unit, or from behind a counter. It requires any businesses that produces PPDS food to:
- Name the food
- Label the food with a full ingredient list
- Emphasise allergenic ingredients in bold
The new changes mean that UK food businesses are having to rethink their labelling. While big chains and supermarkets reacted quickly to the change, small businesses have struggled with the implementation of new labels and printer systems.
Label Lab works with a number of independent food businesses across the North East, from independent pie shops to fish and chip takeaways. We are fully acquainted with the changes to the law and can help you redesign your labels accordingly, so that your labels comply and include all mandatory information whilst also being on-brand and are eye-catching for the customer.
We supply a variety of thermal label printers that come with software suitable for producing allergen and ingredient lists, we will also provide training and on-site setup to help you get up and running. We can also produce blank labels that can be manufactured to any shape or size with a selection of adhesives and materials on offer for a bespoke finish.
Read our Pitman Pies case study to learn more about how we redesign product labels according to new allergen laws.
