This page explains the requirements of Regulation 1169/2011, the Regulation on the provision of food information to consumers (FIC) and related legal standards for the labelling and composition of foodstuffs such as bottled water, milk, fish and meat. Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers brings together EU rules on general food labelling and nutrition labelling in a single legal act. If manufacturers want to include nutrition or health claims on their packaging, there are other guidelines that must be followed. It is also illegal to claim or even imply that a particular food or drink can cure, treat or prevent a medical condition. The same goes for supplements, foods fortified with vitamins and minerals, as well as baby and infant formula – which are subject to incredibly strict guidelines. Some products also indicate that they «may» contain nuts or seeds. This is because although the nuts or seeds have not been ingested intentionally as ingredients, traces may be present due to the use of nuts or seeds where the food was made. In some people, even traces of nuts can still trigger a serious allergic reaction. Therefore, people with allergies to nuts or seeds should avoid products labeled «May Contain» to be on the safe side. The regulations also ensure that allergy information is provided for non-prepackaged foods in restaurants and cafes, that are posted on menus or available upon request, as well as bulk foods that you may purchase at places such as a bakery, butcher or delicatessen. This change was made possible by the actions of a lobby group led by the parents of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, the teenager who died from an allergic reaction to an undeclared ingredient in a packaged meal.

Through its efforts, the government confirmed that stricter laws would be implemented to protect people with food allergies and give them more confidence in the food they buy. The government-recommended format is red, yellow, green, and reference photo (IR) percentages, or as you may recognize better – traffic light labeling! Solid foods packed in liquid (or iced icing) must have drained net weight. The UK`s Food Information Amendment, also known as the Natasha`s Act, came into force on October 1, 2021 and requires food companies to provide full ingredient lists and allergen labels on food packaged for direct sale on site. The bill was introduced to protect allergy sufferers and give them confidence in the food they buy. In the UK, the repetition of nutrition facts on the front of packaged food and beverages is voluntary (under the Food Information Regulation), but most major supermarkets and many food manufacturers offer it. Under the new rules, PPDS (prepackaged for direct sale) foods must clearly display the following information on the packaging: (c) is essential to characterise a food and distinguish it from products with which it could be confused because of its name or appearance. Did you know? – The use of additives can be a controversial topic, as many people do not like substances they do not know about being added to their diet. But many are actually natural substances found in plants, or even essential nutrients used as ingredients in processed foods because of their special functional properties. All additives used in the EU must have undergone strict safety tests.

Concerns about the safety of additives in food and beverages are generally not supported by scientific studies. Previously, food packaging was used to provide a box listing all the allergens that the food contained. However, the current law does not allow this. This is to make sure that people always check the list of ingredients to make sure the food is safe for them. Some companies add a statement to warn consumers of the list of ingredients when checking for allergies, for example: The name of the food must be clearly indicated on the packaging and must not be misleading. In order to promote the successful implementation of the legislation, Nutritics is committed to helping food companies be proactive in their efforts to comply with new regulatory requirements. The UK Food Labelling Resource was created to provide free training, advisory support and access to the best resources available. By affixing the ℮ mark on the label, you can export your product to a country in the European Economic Area (EEA) without having to meet the weight and dimensions requirements of that country.

You should highlight allergens on the label with a different font, style, background color or by bolding the text. This allows consumers to better understand the ingredients of packaged foods and is useful for people with food allergies and intolerances who need to avoid certain foods. If a food or beverage contains two or more ingredients (including all additives), they must all be listed. These ingredients are listed in descending order of weight, so the main ingredients of packaged foods are always displayed first. It can also help you make healthier choices, because if the first ingredients of a food or drink are «sugar» or «butter,» you`ll know they`re the main ingredients and therefore a product that`s relatively high in fat or sugar. What about fibre? You may have noticed that there is no IR for fiber. That doesn`t mean it doesn`t matter – most people in the UK need to eat more fibre – 30g a day, to be exact! Fiber can still be included in nutrition labels on the back of packages, and you may see labels such as «fiber source» or «high fiber» on foods that contain significant amounts.