Restaurants should ‘encourage a conversation’ about allergens under new guidance

Restaurants and cafes should now provide written information and “encourage a conversation” with customers about potential allergens in their food under new guidance.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) said it was still encouraging customers to tell staff about any allergies or intolerances, but was now “setting an expectation” for businesses when communicating allergen information.

Restaurants are already legally required to inform customers about the presence of any of the 14 major food allergens in their dishes, either by clearly listing them on the menu, providing a separate allergen menu, or verbally informing customers upon request.

They must ensure staff are trained to accurately provide this information and be able to explain how allergens may be present due to potential cross-contamination.

The FSA’s latest best practice guidance for the out of home sector, which also includes delis, market stalls and takeaways, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland aims to support food businesses when communicating with customers about allergens.

FSA chief executive Katie Pettifer said: “We are still encouraging consumers to tell food business staff about any food allergies or intolerances, but we are now setting an expectation that businesses should provide written allergen information and encourage a conversation with their customers.

“This easy-to-use guidance will help businesses, like cafes and restaurants, provide allergen information in a more consistent and helpful way for people with food hypersensitivities.

“By following the guidance, businesses can promote consumer confidence in their food businesses by ensuring consumers can understand the allergen information and ensure they don’t feel excluded from experiencing our vibrant food culture.”

Under the guidance, written allergen information should always be available for non-prepacked food “alongside a conversation between servers and customers about their allergen requirements”.

It provides examples for businesses of how to provide written allergen information and free tools such as allergy icons, an allergen matrix and a new allergy poster which food businesses can download and use on their menus and websites.

Nadim Ednan-Laperouse, co-founder of The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation – the UK’s food allergy charity, said: “The new FSA guidance sets out an expectation that food businesses should be more accommodating to people with food allergies, providing written allergen information for non-prepacked foods such as meals in restaurants, takeaways and online ordering.

“While this is a step in the right direction, this is only voluntary guidance – it is not mandatory and there are no penalties for failing to adhere to it. It will be down to individual food businesses to choose if they decide to introduce this guidance or not.

“This leaves millions of people with food allergies in the UK still at risk when they eat out. Everyone should be able to receive accurate top 14 allergen information in order to be able to make informed and safer choices.”