Following the tragic death of a teenager following inadequate ingredient labelling from high-street coffee shop giant Pret a Manger in 2018, there has been a dramatic increase in the focus on accurate and comprehensible food labelling - and for good reason.
With UK Government food labelling and packaging regulations dictating that ingredients and allergens must be clearly listed and highlighted on all food packaging containing products with two or more ingredients, today, we’re taking a closer look at why accurate packaging labels play such an important role in preserving both the health and safety of consumers and the integrity of your catering business.
What the law says
Businesses using packaging labels on pre-packaged foods are legally obligated to follow strict EU guidelines regarding what must be detailed, including:
- A list of ingredients, ranked in order of volume
- The weight/volume of the product
- A use-by date
- The name of the food (including any details of processing)
- Product's place of origin
- Nutritional information
These laws differ slightly for loose foods, such as those served in retail outlets, however. Though non-prepacked food sellers aren’t obligated to detail nutritional information and the likes, specific ingredient breakdowns are still a vital component of their required labelling system.
Why is this important?
With the world becoming more allergic to foods each year, comprehensive labelling systems can, in some cases, literally mean the difference between life and death. As such, listed ingredients and details of processing can play a vital role in warning those with allergies or conditions to avoid particular products that may cause them harm - whether because of the inclusion of a particular product or because of potentially harmful levels of a particular ingredient to those with health problems (such as caffeine). You will need to inform customers if any food product you sell contains any of the 14 primary allergens:
- Eggs
- Crustaceans
- Celery
- Fish
- Molluscs
- Milk
- Lupin
- Mustard
- Peanuts
- Tree nuts
- Sesame seeds
- Sulphites
- Soybeans
- Gluten
Food labelling isn’t purely for those with pre-existing conditions, though. On the contrary, use-by dates are specifically featured to ensure the health and safety of all consumers. Whereas the use-by date is included to indicate how long you can store food under its recommended conditions before it’s no longer safely edible, it’s worth noting that this is different to the best-before date, which is used to indicate the date on which a food will stop tasting its ‘best’ (through loss of favour or texture, for example) - but this doesn’t necessarily mean it isn’t safe for consumption. As such, although not a specific requirement for loose food sellers, it’s recommended that you detail this information on your food packaging wherever possible - especially if selling sandwiches, salads and similar items that may not necessarily be consumed immediately upon purchase.
If you’re a caterer looking for an effective food labelling system for your food packaging supplies - whether that be on the box of a scrumptious salad or on the back of your sandwich packaging - check out our DayMark MenuPilot System, ensuring your food packaging is compliant with all the latest laws and regulations.
