Natasha's Law for Caterers: What You Need to Know in 2026

What Natasha's Law changed

The Food Information (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2019 — known as Natasha's Law — came into force on 1 October 2021. Before this law, food that was pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS) did not need ingredient labelling. After, it does.

The law was introduced following the death of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse in 2016 from an allergic reaction to a baguette bought from a high-street chain. The baguette contained sesame, which was not declared because PPDS food was exempt from labelling requirements at the time.

For caterers, the law means that any food you package before a customer selects it — wrapped sandwiches, sealed containers of food, boxed meals — must carry a label with the food name, a full ingredients list, and the 14 allergens emphasised.

Which caterers are affected

Definitely affected

• Market stall vendors selling wrapped or packaged items (sandwiches, cakes, jars of sauce)
• Meal prep services delivering pre-packaged meals
• Caterers providing boxed lunches or sealed platters
• Any caterer selling food in packaging at the point of sale

Not directly affected (but still have obligations)

• Private chefs cooking and plating at a client's home — this is non-prepacked food
• Event caterers serving from open buffet dishes — non-prepacked
• Supper club operators serving plated courses — non-prepacked

Even if you serve non-prepacked food, you must be able to provide allergen information to customers — either verbally, in writing, or by displaying an allergen matrix. See our PPDS labelling guide for the detailed requirements.

The grey area

The line between PPDS and non-prepacked is not always clear. A wrapped platter assembled behind the counter and handed to a customer is PPDS. An unwrapped platter assembled in front of the customer is non-prepacked. If you cling-film a plate of sandwiches at a buffet, it becomes PPDS.

The FSA's guidance states that if food is in packaging that a customer could reasonably believe is the complete product, it is likely PPDS.

When in doubt, label it. The cost of an unnecessary label is trivial. The cost of a missing one can be severe.

What a PPDS label must include

1. The name of the food — "Chicken Caesar Wrap", not just "Wrap"
2. A full ingredients list — every ingredient, including sub-ingredients of compound items
3. Allergens emphasised — typically in bold within the ingredients list

The 14 allergens that must be emphasised are: celery, cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, lupin, milk, molluscs, mustard, nuts, peanuts, sesame, soybeans, and sulphur dioxide/sulphites. For a detailed breakdown, see our guide on the 14 allergens UK caterers must track.

There is no prescribed format for the label itself. Handwritten, printed, or pre-printed labels are all acceptable. The requirements are about content, not appearance.

Enforcement in 2026

Local authority environmental health officers enforce food labelling regulations during routine inspections. Since Natasha's Law came into force in 2021, enforcement has been part of standard food hygiene inspections.

For minor non-compliance (missing or incomplete labels), enforcement officers typically issue informal advice or an improvement notice with a deadline to fix the issue. For serious or persistent non-compliance, formal action can include written warnings, improvement notices, and prosecution.

The more significant risk is a customer having an allergic reaction due to incorrect or missing labelling. This can result in civil liability claims and, in severe cases, criminal prosecution under food safety legislation. Accurate labelling is a duty of care, not just a regulatory checkbox.

Practical compliance for caterers

If you produce PPDS food

1. Create ingredients lists for every product you package. Include sub-ingredients.
2. Identify and emphasise allergens within each ingredients list.
3. Print or write labels and apply them to all packaging before sale.
4. Update labels when you change recipes or switch ingredient brands.
5. Keep records of your ingredients lists and label templates.

If you serve non-prepacked food

1. Build an allergen matrix for your menu — the allergen matrix generator creates one for free.
2. Display allergen information or train staff to provide it verbally on request.
3. Update when recipes change — a different brand of stock or a substituted ingredient may introduce new allergens.

For all caterers

• Check compound ingredients. A jar of curry paste contains multiple allergens. Your allergen records need to reflect the contents of every bought-in ingredient, not just the items you prepare from scratch.
• Review supplier changes. When a supplier changes their product formulation, your allergen information must update. Request allergen data from suppliers and check it periodically.

Sources

• FSA — Allergen guidance for food businesses
• The Food Information (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2019

This guide covers Natasha's Law as it applies to UK caterers. It does not constitute legal advice. For definitive guidance on your specific situation, consult the FSA or your local authority environmental health team.