Changes to allergen information

The communication toolkit for the

EU Food Information for Consumers Regulation

food.gov.uk/allergen-resources

About this toolkit

This toolkit has been produced by the Food Standards Agency. It is designed to support local
authorities in promoting locally the new allergen provisions within the EU Food Information
to Consumers Regulation (No. 1169/2011) (EU FIC), which apply from 13 December 2014.
Using this toolkit
This toolkit outlines ideas and suggestions to help your communications, food safety and
environmental health departments to deliver outcomes together.
It includes:

information about EU FIC and food allergies and intolerances in general

advertorial and web copy to use in local authority and other publications and
websites
suggested social media posts
links to brochures, useful contacts and further information

Please take the time to look at the content and use it according to your needs.
You can find material available to download at: food.gov.uk/allergen-resources
Please note that we will be continually adding to this resource section, and will let you
know when we do. Some of this material has been provided electronically and enables
you to co-brand them with your logo.

food.gov.uk/allergen-resources

Contents
Section 1: Food Information for Consumers Regulation (EU FIC)
Section 2: Communication objectives
Section 3: Communicating the EU FIC
Section 4: Important contacts and resources
Annexes
Annex 1: Communications planning template
Annex 2: Sample press release
Annex 3: Allergy basics and facts
Annex 4: FAQs on EU FIC

food.gov.uk/allergen-resources

Section 1: Food Information for Consumers Regulation

About the EU FIC
The EU FIC was published on 25 October 2011. It entered into force in December 2011,
giving companies until December 2014 to comply with its allergen provisions.
The new regulation requires:

14 specific allergens to be emphasised in the ingredients list of foods that are

prepacked.
Information on these 14 allergens must be given if they are included in the
ingredients or processing aids of non-packaged (loose) foods.

Consumers will, therefore, see changes in how allergens are presented on labels of
prepacked food and can also ask for information on any of the 14 allergens in nonprepacked food that they buy.
We have created leaflets and resources with detailed information on the above. You can
find these at food.gov.uk/allergen-resources

food.gov.uk/allergen-resources

Section 2: Communication objectives

The primary purpose of the EU FIC is to enable consumers to make informed choices about
the food they buy and eat and to ensure businesses provide the information that consumers
need to make these choices. Successful implementation and compliance of the regulation
will depend on effective and timely communications with enforcement officers, businesses
and consumers on both a local and national basis.
It is unlikely that you will be able to undertake all of these activities described here, in one
go. It is, therefore, important for you to consider a communications plan for ongoing activity
as well as for when the requirements are applied.
One of the themes for our campaign is #14Allergens which will also be used as a hashtag
for social media communications. It will provide a simple alert for food businesses and
consumer audiences to be aware of the allergens, new legislation and the changes that are
coming to food labels on products.
Additional messaging focuses on:

helping food businesses to understand the new requirements they need to comply
with, including the 14 allergens, the allergen information they need to be aware of, and be
able to provide to their consumers.

how consumers with allergies and intolerances can protect themselves or those they
care for by knowing how to shop safely for food or asking for allergen ingredients
information in food when eating outside the home.

increasing allergy awareness to general consumers, those without allergies and

intolerances to encourage a better understanding and businesses, with explanations on the
condition, the 14 identified allergens, how important this information is for someone living
with an allergy and the impact to their health when they consume food they are allergic to.
On rare occasions, the exposure to allergens can result in fatalities.
The objective of the #14Allergens campaign is to raise awareness of the new EU FIC
allergen rules, what it means for enforcement officers, food businesses and consumers, the
impact and the risks, and how to minimise them by being aware of whats in a food that you
are buying/producing/serving. We also hope to raise awareness about food allergies and
food intolerances and how businesses play an important role in enabling those with food
allergies or intolerance to manage their condition and eat safely.
Audiences
The key audiences for this campaign are:

small and medium businesses that make, provide or sell prepacked food
small and medium businesses that make, serve or sell non-packaged (loose) food
food suppliers/wholesalers/manufacturers
consumers living with or caring for someone with food allergies
consumers in general

food.gov.uk/allergen-resources

We want to encourage these audiences to consider the new requirements when training
their staff, planning a new business or running their businesses, shopping for food or eating
out. We want to encourage food businesses to display and provide the right information,
and want consumers to know where to find and ask for the right information.
Key messages
General key messages

New requirements regarding the provision of information about 14 allergens in food

will apply from 13 December 2014.
Food businesses must label, display and provide allergen ingredients information
correctly.

Key messages for local authorities

This will affect how enforcement officers do their work as responsibilities are
extended or shared across departments and regulatory authorities/bodies.
Officers need to be trained and be able to enforce the new regulation.

Key messages for food businesses

It is a legal requirement for food businesses to comply with the EU FIC

By complying with the EU FIC rules, you give your customers confidence and
reassurance about the information you are providing, which could improve your
business, as safer food means better business. (Research tells us that consumers
suffering from food allergies currently have low levels of confidence in eating out
and purchasing food because of lack of information.)
The FSA and your local authority, environmental health officers (EHOs), and others
such as training companies, have tools to help businesses to comply with the new
requirements.

Key messages for consumers

The EU FIC enables you to make a safe and informed choice about what to eat when
eating out or what to buy when you shop for food.
Consumers can ask for ingredients information on any of the 14 allergens in the food
and, if it is not provided, they can take action by complaining to their local authority.
Consumers can feel more confident eating out and purchasing food.
The FSA and your local authority have information to explain the changes that the
new regulation will bring, and what they will mean for you.

food.gov.uk/allergen-resources

Section 3: Communicating the EU FIC

You will find a communications planning template in Annex 1. You might find it useful to
help plan and identify each of the communication activities that will need to carry out to
help you deliver the key messages and activities. Do consider evaluating the impact of your
activities, so that you will have an idea of what worked and what didnt for the next time
you communicate initiatives.
Communicating with businesses
If you are launching the scheme, we advise that you start your communications activity by
targeting the businesses in your area and focus on:

explaining the EU FIC allergen provisions and what it means for businesses
explaining how businesses can comply with the new allergen requirements
promoting helpful tools or literature that are available, for example by placing FSA
leaflets and posters around council buildings, local libraries and post offices
promoting any seminars and events you are holding that business owners, managers
or staff can attend

You could also engage with businesses locally, by:

working with local business initiatives/forums/chambers of commerce

holding seminars/events
promoting a local champion to reinforce the benefits of EU FIC to food businesses
enlisting support from other local authorities to share experience and best practice
having stalls and displays at wholesalers (food or catering suppliers) or other places
where business owners may visit on a regular basis.
working with local press and publications (newsletters, residents magazines etc) to
run stories on the launch of the regulation, give updates on the progress, and use
case studies of businesses that are complying as good practice case studies, to
highlight the benefits of the regulation. See Annex 2 for our template press release.

Communicating with consumers

We are hoping to communicate with consumers and businesses when the allergen rules
take effect on 13 December. However, we are also aware that December is a crowded
month for consumer messaging because of the festive season. This is why we are suggesting
that, after the initial launch, we will focus again on consumer messaging in January. We will
keep you updated on consumer plans post-Christmas.
It is also vital that communications activity doesnt stop once the regulation has been
launched, as consumers will need reminding and encouragement to use their new rights to
information. There are various ways in which this can be achieved.

There are FSA leaflets about the scheme that may be helpful with your
communication activities. These can be found in food.gov.uk/allergen-resources.
Use our template press release to publicise the new regulation in your local press or

food.gov.uk/allergen-resources

broadcast media. It could also be used as the basis for a story in a newsletter or
magazine that your own authority publishes for residents or businesses. Consider
sending the press release to local health magazines and food writers, as well as
enlisting them and food critics to help spread the word in their columns and articles.
The FSA provides additional funding on an annual basis to UK enforcement
authorities for sampling and surveillance of food to help ensure risk-based targeted
checks. You can find out more:
www.food.gov.uk/enforcement/monitoring/samplingresources/samplingandsurveill
ance and www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/worddocs/enf005b.doc
Tie in communications with annual events when people will be eating out or
shopping for food (such as Christmas, New Year, Easter, Mothers Day, Fathers Day,
Chinese New Year, Eid, Diwali, Valentines Day) which will be a useful opportunity to
remind consumers of the new regulation and their rights to correct allergen
information. We also organise an annual Allergy Awareness Week, which would be a
good time to remind people of what they can expect.
Dont forget to encourage food businesses to also promote and communicate their
compliance with EU FIC, to their customers. They can highlight their compliance on
the menu, on their signage or in their advertising and promotional material, assuring
their customers that they are allergy aware. This can be demonstrated by displaying
successfully completed courses or certification, such as the food hygiene course.

Annexes 3 and 4 contain some frequently asked questions and answers, including useful
statistics, about EU FIC and food allergies. You may find these helpful when dealing with
press enquiries.
Please feel free to contact the FSA if you would like any additional support, such as an FSA
spokesperson for a radio or TV interview, or for a bespoke quote. You can email us at
[email protected]
Internal communications
Dont forget that the EU FIC will bring big changes to how you work as well, so you could
start by promoting the regulation internally to your own colleagues. You could run an
internal awareness raising campaign to ensure that all staff are aware of the changes,
sharing experiences and good practice and ensuring that they are sufficiently trained and
know what skill set is required of them.
You can also:

encourage colleagues to check out allergen information for the food they order
or buy the next time they eat out or shop for food
encourage them to share information on establishments with good practice with
their Facebook friends, and to use the social media share option
include information about the regulation on both your external and internal
websites

food.gov.uk/allergen-resources

Using social media

Social media is a great way to engage directly and build relationships with consumers. Our
Allergy Awareness Week in April 2014 was a success because thousands of people joined in
the conversation on social media.
Well be promoting information about the new regulation on social media in the run up to
and after 13 December 2014 to help spread information and awareness of the new
regulation.
Please use the hashtag #14Allergens to join in the conversation.
Suggested tweets and Facebook posts
Please be proactive and tweet your own messages and post on Facebook and Twitter. Below
are a few suggestions to start you off, but feel free to repurpose them as you wish, or even
use them as a starting point to create your own bespoke messages.
You might want to consider splitting up the suggested posts for Twitter and Facebook, with
an eye towards each platform, as Twitter is shorter and more direct, while Facebook is more
informal and conversational. Its also helpful to check that your posts are optimised for the
channel, for example Tweets are less than 140 characters, and you provide appropriate
imagery for Facebook posts, as these tend to draw more attention than posts without
pictures. (You will find imagery that you can use for your communications in
www.food.gov.uk/allergen-resources). Link people to the EU FIC information on your
website, or directly to our information on: www.food.gov.uk/allergy
List 1 For businesses
1. Your customers can now ask about allergens. Make sure your staff are trained to
know and communicate the #14Allergens in the food you serve
2. Around 2 million people suffer from food allergies in the UK. Do you know which
#14Allergens are in your food? www.food.gov/allergy
3. New rules on food allergens are coming to a label near you. Are you prepared to give
info about #14Allergens in your food?
4. Do you know the #14Allergens that must be mentioned on labels? [Name of local
authority or Twitter handle]is encouraging you to find out more at [insert link to
food allergen information and FIC on your website]
5. Are you prepared for #14Allergens coming to a label near you? Find out more at
[insert link to food allergen information and EU FIC on your website]
List 2 For consumers
1. [Name of local authority or Twitter handle] is encouraging people to check the
labels for #14 Allergens when they shop.
2. Have your received good allergen information from a food outlet? Share the good
news with us using #14Allergens.
3. Cant see information about #14Allergens for your food? You have a right to ask
and be answered.

food.gov.uk/allergen-resources

4. Living with a food allergy? Join [Name of local authority or Twitter handle] and
celebrate food businesses that are serving you well by sending us your stories on
#14Allergens (If you want consumers to engage with you)
5. [Name of local authority or Twitter handle] is encouraging people to ask about
#14Allergens in the food they buy. Eat safe, stay healthy.
6. Do you know about #14Allergens that must be mentioned on labels? [Name of
local authority or Twitter handle] is encouraging you to find out more at [insert link
to food allergen information and EU FIC on your website]
Get people on board
Please encourage your audiences, friends and family to:
Like our page: food.gov.uk/facebook
Join our conversations @foodgov: food.gov.uk/twitter
Follow us on Pinterest: pinterest.com/foodgov/
Social media resources to share
Closer to the launch of the EU FIC allergen rules we will be creating material that you can
use on your external website. We will keep you informed with updates.
[email protected]
You can use this dedicated email address to communicate any enquiries you may have on
this toolkit or on the EU FIC allergen rules. This email is monitored on a daily basis and
enquiries are forwarded to the person most able to assist you.

food.gov.uk/allergen-resources

10

Section 4: Important contacts and resources

Important contacts
Our dedicated email address
We have a dedicated email address: [email protected]
You can send any enquiries about the EU FIC allergen rules to this address. Feel free to
contact us if you would like any additional support, such as an FSA spokesperson for a radio
or TV interview, or for a bespoke quote.
Devolved offices

In FSA Northern Ireland, the communications contact is:

[email protected]
In FSA Wales, the communications contact is:
[email protected]
In FSA Scotland, the communications contact is
[email protected]

Food allergen regulations

The EU Food Information for Consumers Regulation (No 1169/2011): http://eurlex.europa.eu/legalcontent/EN/ALL/;jsessionid=w0wcTfZBkQPhhzrbhZWD12DPkSL5YvHTSv3G91XDLJh3

5Yr8qgvh!-940261716?uri=CELEX:32011R1169
Food Information Regulations 2014
www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/1855/made/data.pdf

Allergy charities

Allergy UK: www.allergyuk.org/

Anaphylaxis Campaign: www.anaphylaxis.org.uk/
Coeliac UK: www.coeliac.org.uk/home/

Resources
FSA Allergen training
http://food.gov.uk/enforcement/enforcetrainfund/onlinetraining/allergytraining
FSA toolkit
You can find this toolkit and other resources at www.food.gov.uk/allergen-resources
Safer Food Better Business
You can find more guidance on allergen handling, including how to avoid crosscontamination: www.food.gov.uk/business-industry/caterers/sfbb
Leaflets/ publications
We have developed some leaflets that are available in hard copy from our publications line
(0845 606 0667 or by emailing [email protected]).

food.gov.uk/allergen-resources

11

Annex 1: Communications planning template

Communications plans are helpful because they allow you to plan your activities in the run
up to a campaign. When you put your document together, it would be useful to include the
following headers (if relevant) and template. We have put in an example to get you started.

Safe Food Borough Council: Communications Plan [example text]

Communication: EU Food Information for Consumers Regulation
Key contacts: A.N Other, Comms manager. Ext 12 and I.Help, comms officer, Ext 34
Resources: Budget and staffing
Background and context: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is running a national
communications campaign in the run up to and beyond, the launch of the EU Food
Information for Consumers Regulations allergen rules, which apply from 13 December
2014. The FSA has designed a campaign asking food businesses to consider the allergens
that they are including in the food they sell, and how they can communicate this to their
customers. The FSA is also informing consumers of the new way in which 14 allergens will be
displayed on labels of pre-packed food, and how this new regulation means that they can
ask for information about the loose food (non prepacked) they are buying. The FSA wants
members of the public (especially those with food allergies) to feel more secure and
confident about eating out or buying food, now they have access to information about
allergens in food. They also want to encourage food businesses to know whats in their
food, label it correctly and be able to provide allergen information when asked by
customers.
What is the objective of this plan?
1. Relay information on the importance of knowing the allergens in the food a business is
serving and being able to tell customers about it.
2. Change behaviour of members of the public (especially those with food allergies) to feel
more confident about eating out and shopping for food, now they have access to
information about 14 allergens when used as ingredients.
3. Increase uptake of the Safe Food Borough Councils food safety webpages and
information about the EU FIC.
What do we need to say?
Key messages for the campaign include:

New requirements regarding the provision of information about 14 allergens in food

will apply from 13 December 2014.
Food businesses must label, display and provide allergy information correctly.
The EU FIC enables you to make an informed choice about what to eat or what to
buy when you shop for food or eat out.
Consumers can ask for information on 14 allergens in the food sold. If it is not
provided, the food business is breaking the law, and consumers can report it.
Consumers can feel more confident eating out and purchasing food.

food.gov.uk/allergen-resources

12

Who do we need to tell?

The message is targeted at consumers, especially those with food allergies, and also small
and medium food businesses that need to be compliant with the new rules, so
communications and marketing will aim to reach these audiences within local authorities
through a number of channels. Enforcement officers will also be targeted, as they will need
to know about the change in regulation as it affects their duties and skill set.
How to review and evaluate:
1. Monitor media coverage through press cuttings
2. Track the number of visits to the local authoritys food safety webpage as well as the
newly-created webpage for EU FIC advice for the public.
3. Measure the number of likes or retweets received from messages published on the local
authoritys social media page or account.
Comms

Audience

Action

Safe Food
County
Guardian

Residents of
the borough

Article on
Next issue to
the EU FIC
go on sale
scheme to be Oct.
included in
the papers
Dining Out
section, and
Health pages
telling
consumers
what they
can expect
from new
rules

food.gov.uk/allergen-resources

By when

By whom

Status

AN Other

DONE: Paper
contacted in
early Aug.
Task
completed
20 Sept for 1
Nov
publication.

13

Annex 2: Sample press release

Food businesses: are you prepared for changes to food allergen information?
X Council is reminding food business in X area that they need to be ready for new rules
which will affect the way they provide allergen information.
Currently, when, for example, supermarket bakeries, delis, cafes and restaurants sell loose
foods, they dont have to provide information to customers about food allergens, but from
13 December 2014 all food businesses will need to verbally explain or signpost allergenic
information for the food they sell or provide.
Food allergies can cause life-threatening reactions and the numbers of people with this
condition are growing.
The primary cause of food allergy deaths in the UK is due to allergic reactions when food is
consumed outside the home where allergenic ingredients have not been declared. The new
rules will mean that all food businesses will need to inform customers if any of 14 allergenic
ingredients are present in the food they make or serve. This can be communicated to
customers in writing on menus, verbally through explanations by staff or signposted to
where or how more information can be found.
Although the new EU rules are coming into force in December 2014, they were published in
October 2011, to give food businesses three years to get ready for the new provisions.
[Suggested quote] XXX from XXX Local Authority / Council said:
All food businesses in [insert borough name] should be ready to provide this vital
information by December. We understand food businesses work long hours, leaving little
time to read through new guidance. However, easy-to-understand information is available
on [our website / the FSAs website] to help businesses with these changes.
Businesses could be missing out on vital custom by not providing clear and accurate
allergen information about the food they sell or serve. If any business needs advice and
guidance on the new rules, they can get in touch with their local authority food safety
officer for help.
Dr Chun-Han Chan from the Food Standards Agency said:
Food allergies affect approximately 5-8% of children and 1-2% of adults. This means that
around 2 million people in the UK are living with a food allergy. People with food allergies
can react to very small amounts of food, such as a teaspoon of yoghurt, a single peanut or
even an egg glaze used to brush over pies.
food.gov.uk/allergen-resources

14

There is no cure for food allergies, so the only way for people to manage the condition is to
avoid the food that makes them ill. This is where providing accurate food allergen labelling
and information is important, and why food businesses, local authorities and the Food
Standards Agency are all working together to ensure consumers have clear and accurate
information.
Local authorities will be working together with the FSA to make sure businesses know what
to do and how to provide safe food for those with food allergies and intolerances. To help
enforcement officers and businesses with these new rules, the FSA has developed a range of
training and education materials. Advice is available at www.food.gov.uk/allergy and
resources can be found on www.food.gov.uk/allergen-resources
ENDS
Notes for Editors / Additional information
1. Food allergy involves the immune system. A reaction can occur within minutes
following consumption of a food, symptoms include itching, pain, diarrhoea and in
severe cases, anaphylaxis.
2. Food intolerance does not involve the immune system and a reaction can occur
within hours consumption of the food, symptoms can include eczema, bloating,
diarrhoea, weight loss. Symptoms can remain with the individual for hours or days.
3. In the UK, it is estimated that 1-2% of adults and 5-8% of children have a food
allergy. This equates to around 2 million people living in the UK with a food allergy
and this figure does not include those with food intolerances. This means the actual
number of affected people living with food allergy and/or food intolerance is
considerably more.
4. The FSA has produced resources that you can find here: food.gov.uk/allergenresources

food.gov.uk/allergen-resources

15

Additional information Boxout for food businesses

What is your responsibility as a food business?
Remember these key messages when dealing with dietary requests such as food allergies:

Make sure the information you provide is accurate

Keep up to date ingredients information for any ready-made foods bought in

When cooking, make sure you know whats in the ingredients

o

consider cooking oils, dressings, toppings, sauces and garnishes

update this if you change the recipe or ingredients used

Ensure your staff know of any changes to allergen information for the dishes
provided.

When making food for someone with an allergy, work surfaces and equipment must
be thoroughly cleaned before use.

Always wash your hands before preparing any food.

Additional information Boxout for features/magazines

Food allergy and intolerance myth buster
There is much in the media about food allergies and intolerances, but what is the difference,
and more importantly, how accurate is the information we read?
You can be allergic to any foodstuff
TRUE: This is true in theory, but in fact just a handful of foods are to blame for 90% of
allergic reactions to food in the UK.
Food allergies can be fatal
TRUE: People with allergies can have a reaction called anaphylaxis (pronounced anna-fillaxis), which can be fatal if it isn't treated immediately, usually with an injection of
adrenaline (epinephrine).
A food allergy or intolerance can be easily self-diagnosed
FALSE: It is thought that a much higher number of people will believe that their symptoms
are being caused by a food allergy or intolerance than is actually the case. Around 30%
believe they are allergic or intolerant to one or more foods, but a Food Standards Agency
(FSA) report in 2008 estimated that only 5-8% of children and 1-2% of adults have a food
allergy.

food.gov.uk/allergen-resources

16

Most children grow out of their allergy to eggs, milk, wheat and soya
TRUE: It is true that most children do, generally by about the age of five, due to the gut
maturing or a change in the immune systems response to that food.
Most people will grow out of allergies to peanuts, seafood, fish and tree nuts.
FALSE: An allergy to peanuts, seafood, fish and tree nuts is very rarely lost.
Food allergies or intolerances can be cured
FALSE: There is currently no cure for food allergies or intolerances. The only way to prevent
a reaction is to avoid the food you are sensitive to.
Allergies and intolerances run in families
TRUE: If you have parents or a sibling with an allergic condition, such as eczema, asthma or
a food allergy, you are at a higher risk of developing a food allergy or intolerance.
Source: NHS Choices 2014

food.gov.uk/allergen-resources

17

Annex 3: Allergy basics and stats

What is a food allergy?
A food allergy is a rapid and potentially serious response to a food by your immune system.
It can trigger classic allergy symptoms such as a rash, wheezing and itching.
The most common food allergies among adults are to fish and shellfish and nuts, including
peanuts, walnuts, hazelnuts and Brazil nuts. Children often have allergies to milk and eggs as
well as to peanuts, other nuts and fish.
What is an intolerance?
Food intolerances are more common than food allergies. The symptoms of food intolerance
tend to appear more slowly, often many hours after eating the problem food. Typical
symptoms include bloating and stomach cramps.
It's possible to be intolerant to several different foods, which can make it difficult to identify
which foods are causing the problem.
Food intolerances can also be difficult to tell apart from other digestive disorders that
produce similar symptoms, such as inflammatory bowel disease, gastrointestinal
obstructions or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
What can trigger an allergic reaction to food?
An allergic reaction can be produced by a tiny amount of a food ingredient that a person is
sensitive to (for example a teaspoon of milk powder, a fragment of peanut or just one or
two sesame seeds). Symptoms of an allergic reaction can range from mild symptoms, such
as itching around the mouth and rashes, and can progress to more severe symptoms such as
vomiting, diarrhoea, wheezing and, on occasion, anaphylaxis (shock). Around ten people in
the UK die from allergic reactions to food every year due to undeclared allergenic
ingredients.
Is there a cure for food allergies?
There is no cure for food allergies. The only way to manage the condition is to avoid the
foods that make you ill. This can be achieved by checking ingredients details on labels of
prepacked foods and being provided allergen information for non-prepacked foods which is
why it is very important that food businesses provide clear and accurate information about
allergenic ingredients in their products.
How many people in the UK suffer from a food allergy?
In the UK, it is estimated that 1-2% of adults and 5-8% of children have a food allergy. This
equates to around 2 million people living in the UK with a food allergy and this figure does

food.gov.uk/allergen-resources

18

not include those with food intolerances. This means the actual number of affected people
living with food allergy and/or food intolerance is considerably more.

An estimated 21 million adults in the UK suffer from at least one allergy (includes allergy to
pollen, animals, medicines), and around 10 million adults suffer from more than one.
(Mintel, 2010). Out of those numbers, around 1 to 2% of adults have a food allergy.
5 8 % of children have a proven food allergy (National Institute for Health and Clinical
Excellence, 2011) with up to 1 in 55 children having a peanut allergy.
An estimated 1 in 100 people have coeliac disease (an autoimmune response to gluten
proteins found in a number of cereals).
UK hospital admissions for children with food allergies have increased by 700% since 1990
(Gupta, 2007)

Please see our infographic Your quick guide to food allergies and intolerances at
www.food.gov.uk/allergen-resources

food.gov.uk/allergen-resources

19

Annex 4: FAQS on EU FIC

What is the Food Information for Consumers Regulation (EU FIC)?
A new piece of European legislation, called the Food Information for Consumers Regulation
(EU FIC) will change the way allergen information appears on labels and on food that is
prepacked, sold loose or served when you are eating out.
The EU FIC will also bring general and nutrition labelling together into a single regulation to
simplify and consolidate existing labelling legislation.
When does this happen?
The new allergen rules will apply on 13 December 2014. However, you may have started to
see some differences to food allergen labels already, as businesses prepare for the
changeover. Please note that products already on the market will be allowed to be sold
through, after that date.
What changes will the new regulation bring?
It covers mandatory labelling obligations, a minimum font size for all legally required text, a
mandatory nutrition declaration, a clearer indication of allergens and country of origin
labelling. The FSA is responsible for allergen labelling; DEFRA and DH are leading on other
food labelling elements of the regulation. (FSA also leads on nutrition in Northern Ireland
and Scotland)
So what changes will we see to allergen labelling?
The changes mean that:

14 allergens are required to be emphasised within the ingredients list of prepacked

food using:
o italics
o bold
o underlined
o colour
Information on these 14 allergens, when used as ingredients, must also be provided
on loose (non-prepacked) foods, in an obvious place, for example on a:
o menu
o chalkboard
o recipe card or allergy folder
If it is not provided upfront, you will need to signpost where it can be obtained,
either in written or oral formats.

The voluntary use of allergy boxes to repeat mandatory ingredients information

(such as contains nuts) can no longer be provided alongside an ingredients list

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Voluntary allergy advice statements (such as Allergy advice: for allergens see
ingredients in bold) to explain how allergen information is presented may be used.
Please note: The provision of may contain warnings will not change

What if the food is sold long distance, for example over the internet or phone?

If food is sold at a distance, such as through a telephone order for a takeaway, the allergen
information must be offered and, where there is a need from the customer for allergen information,
must be provided before the purchase of the food is complete (this could be in writing or orally) and
in a written format when the food is delivered.

How does this affect consumers?

EU FIC brought together several pieces of legislation into single regulation to make it easier
for consumers to understand labels. It is good news for consumers as these changes will
provide allergen information in a clearer and more consistent way; making it easier for them
to make safer food choices when buying food.
What is the list of 14 allergens that must now be listed and declared?
The 14 allergens listed in Annex 2 are recognised across Europe as the most common
ingredients or processing aids causing food allergies and intolerances. If there is a food
product that contains or uses an ingredient or processing aid (such as enzymes added to
make cheese or wheat flour used to roll out dough made from rye flour) derived from one
of the substances or products listed in the Annex 2, it will need to be declared by the FBO to
the consumer.
These Annex 2 allergens are:
1. Cereals containing gluten namely wheat (including specific varieties like spelt and
Khorasan), rye, barley, oats and their hybridised strains) and products thereof
2. Crustaceans and products thereof (for example prawns, lobster, crabs and
crayfish)
3. Egg and products thereof
4. Fish and products thereof
5. Peanut and products thereof
6. Soybeans and products thereof
7. Milk and products thereof (including lactose)
8. Nuts (namely almond, hazelnut, walnut, cashew, pecan nut, Brazil nut, pistachio
nut and Macadamia nut (Queensland nut)) and products thereof
9. Celery and products thereof
10. Mustard and products thereof
11. Sesame seeds and products thereof
12. Sulphur dioxide and sulphites at concentrations of more than 10mg/kg or
10mg/L in terms of the total SO2 which are to be calculated for products as
proposed ready for consumption or as reconstituted according to the
instructions of the manufacturers
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13. Lupin and products thereof

14. Molluscs and products thereof (for example clams, oysters, scallops, snails and
squid)
What will happen to a business if they are found to be non-compliant?
Breaches in the allergen rules are a criminal offence due to the food safety issues
surrounding food allergy or food intolerances. If a business fails to comply with the
requirements of the regulation, they may be issued with an Improvement Notice, which will
outline what corrective action needs to be taken and by when. If the Improvement Notice
isnt complied with, this can then become a criminal offence, which may result in
prosecution.

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