The short answer
If you sell takeaway food online or by phone, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) says allergen information must be given at two stages: before the customer completes the order, and when the food is delivered or collected. It can be in writing or spoken, and dishes should be labelled so the customer knows which one is which.
This applies to all 14 allergens listed below, whatever system you take orders on.
What are the two stages?
| Stage | How you can give it |
|---|---|
| Before the order is placed | In writing, for example on your website or menu, or by talking to the customer on the phone. |
| When the food is handed over | In writing, for example allergen stickers or a menu in the bag, or by phone. |
The FSA also says takeaway meals should be labelled clearly, so customers know which dishes are suitable for someone with an allergy. A sticker on each box is the simplest way. Read the FSA’s allergen guidance ↗
Which 14 allergens do you have to declare?
You must tell customers if a dish contains any of these as an ingredient:
- Celery
- Cereals containing gluten (such as wheat, rye, barley and oats)
- Crustaceans (such as prawns, crabs and lobsters)
- Eggs
- Fish
- Lupin
- Milk
- Molluscs (such as mussels and oysters)
- Mustard
- Peanuts
- Sesame
- Soybeans
- Sulphur dioxide and sulphites (above 10 parts per million)
- Tree nuts (such as almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews and pistachios)
Watch for allergens hiding in sauces, marinades, batters, dips and ready-made bases. Check the labels on what your suppliers send you, and check again when a supplier or recipe changes.
What about cross-contamination?
The FSA’s guidance gives a fryer example: don’t cook gluten-free chips in oil you have used for battered fish. Keep ingredients in closed, labelled containers, and clean utensils and wash hands between dishes.
If you cannot avoid cross-contamination, the FSA says you should tell customers you cannot provide an allergen-free dish. Saying so honestly on your menu is better than a promise you cannot keep.
Does Natasha’s Law apply to my takeaway?
Natasha’s Law covers food that is prepacked for direct sale: food packed before the customer orders it, on the same premises, such as sandwiches or salads made in the morning and put out on a shelf. That food needs a full ingredients label with allergens highlighted.
The FSA’s guidance for takeaways is clear that food put into packaging when the customer orders it is not PPDS, and that the PPDS labelling rules do not apply to food sold by phone or online. So for normal cooked-to-order takeaway food, the two-stage rules above apply instead.
The exception is anything you pack before anyone orders it, such as boxed salads or desserts in a fridge. Those need a PPDS label. Read the FSA’s PPDS guidance for takeaways ↗
A checklist for every online order
- Allergen information is on, or linked from, every dish on your online menu.
- Your phone number is on the menu, and staff know how to answer allergy questions.
- Staff have done allergen training. The FSA says this is a must, and it offers free online allergy training ↗.
- Every box is labelled, or a menu with allergen information goes in the bag.
- Your allergen record is updated when a recipe or supplier changes.
This guide is a plain-English summary, not legal advice. Your council’s food safety team can advise on your own setup. To get your menu online with allergen information checked before launch, tell us about your takeaway.
