Natasha's Law (PPDS allergen labelling)

Natasha's Law — the Food Information (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2019 and parallel devolved-administration regulations — requires that all food Prepacked for Direct Sale carry full ingredient labelling with the 14 FIC allergens emphasised. In force October 2021 in response to the death of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse from undisclosed sesame. PPDS classification — food packaged at the same place it is offered to consumers where the consumer can select without further intervention (deli sandwiches in chiller display, packaged salads at cafe, wrapped bakery items, pre-packed school canteen lunchbox items). NOT PPDS — food prepared in response to consumer order (made-to-order sandwich), loose food (handed over at point of sale), or prepacked food made at central commissary and shipped (standard FIC prepacked labelling applies). PPDS label requirements — name of food, full ingredient list in descending weight order at time of use, 14 FIC allergens emphasised in the ingredient list (bold/italic/underline/contrasting colour — emphasis must be IN the ingredient list, not only in separate allergen statement). The 14 allergens: cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts, soybeans, milk, nuts, celery, mustard, sesame seeds, sulphur dioxide/sulphites >10 mg/kg, lupin, molluscs. Compound ingredients require sub-component declaration. Precautionary allergen labelling ('may contain') governed by FSA PAL guidance — must reflect genuine unavoidable cross-contact risk after reasonable controls, blanket 'may contain everything' non-compliant. Trading Standards primary enforcement with FSA-coordinated Food Alert for Action. Common findings — PPDS items with allergen-statement-only labels, missing sesame/celery/mustard/sulphite declarations, undeclared milk in 'vegan' SKUs, undeclared gluten in 'gluten-free' SKUs above 20 ppm.