Allergen information on digital menus: what UK venues need to know

What does UK law say about allergen information in pubs and restaurants?

If you serve food or drink that is not prepacked, you must be able to tell customers whether it contains any of the 14 regulated allergens. In England this comes from the Food Information Regulations 2014, which enforce the retained EU Food Information to Consumers Regulation (No 1169/2011). Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own equivalent regulations with the same core allergen rules.

The rules cover everything you serve loose, which in a pub or bar means meals, bar snacks and drinks poured or mixed behind the bar. They are enforced by local authorities, usually through trading standards or environmental health officers.

This guide is general information to help you understand the rules. It is not legal advice. For anything specific to your venue, speak to your local authority or a qualified adviser.

What are the 14 allergens UK venues must declare?

The 14 allergens, with examples of where they can turn up behind a bar:

Sulphites only need to be declared above 10mg per kilogram or per litre, but most wines and many ciders exceed that, so check the label or ask your supplier.

Do you have to list allergens on the menu?

Not necessarily on the menu itself. For non-prepacked food and drink, the law requires allergen information to be available, and it can be given in writing (on a menu, a chalkboard, an allergen chart or a digital menu) or orally by staff.

If you rely on staff telling customers, you must signpost it in writing, for example with a note on the menu or a sign saying customers should ask staff about allergens. Whatever you tell customers verbally must be accurate, consistent and able to be checked, which in practice means staff work from a written record such as recipe cards or an allergen matrix, not memory.

A digital menu is a good way to provide written information, but not every customer has a phone or wants to use it. Keep a written allergen record behind the bar too, so staff can answer questions and anyone without a phone has another route.

Does Natasha's Law apply to QR menus?

Generally, no. Natasha's Law, introduced by the Food Information (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2019 and in force since 1 October 2021, applies to food that is prepacked for direct sale (PPDS): food packed on the same premises where it is sold, before the customer orders it. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland introduced equivalent rules.

PPDS food must carry a label with the name of the food and a full ingredients list, with the 14 allergens emphasised, for example in bold. Typical PPDS examples are:

• sandwiches or salads you make and wrap in the morning and put in a chiller for customers to pick up;
• pre-bagged cakes or flapjacks made on site and displayed on the counter.

Items cooked or poured to order from a menu, which is what QR ordering is used for, are not PPDS. They fall under the non-prepacked rules above. Branded bottles, cans and crisps from suppliers are prepacked and already labelled by the manufacturer. If you also sell anything you pre-wrap yourself, those items need PPDS labels whether or not they appear on your QR menu.

What does the FSA recommend for allergen information?

The Food Standards Agency (FSA), and Food Standards Scotland in Scotland, publish guidance for businesses on allergen information for non-prepacked food. The FSA's best-practice advice encourages businesses to provide allergen information in writing and to prompt customers to tell staff about any allergies, so that the written information and a conversation work together.

Their guidance also stresses the basics that apply whatever format you use:

• Keep accurate records of ingredients, including any sub-ingredients in sauces, syrups and garnishes.
• Update the information whenever a recipe or supplier changes.
• Train staff to know where the information is and what to do when a customer declares an allergy.
• Think about cross-contact in preparation, such as shared fryers or shakers, and be honest with customers about it.

Check the current guidance on the FSA's website, as it is updated from time to time.

How should a QR menu show allergen information?

A QR menu makes written allergen information easy to keep current, because one change updates every table at once. Good practice looks like this:

1. Allergens on every item. Tick the relevant allergens for each food and drink, so customers see them before they order. In DrinksQR, each item carries the 14 UK allergens plus vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free tags.
2. A clear ‘speak to staff’ prompt. Tell customers to speak to a member of staff about allergies before ordering, so a conversation still happens.
3. Options count too. If a mixer, syrup or garnish adds an allergen, record it on that option, not just the main drink.
4. Use sold-out, not substitutions. If an ingredient runs out, mark the item sold out rather than swapping in a different brand that may contain different allergens.
5. Do not rely on order notes. A customer typing ‘nut allergy’ into a note is useful, but staff should still confirm in person when they bring the order.

For how the menu reaches customers, see how QR ordering works, and for entering allergens during setup, see our 30-minute setup guide.

Which allergens are found in drinks?

Drinks are where venues most often slip up, because allergens are less obvious than in food. The usual ones:

• Sulphites: used in most wines and many ciders, and in some beers, soft drinks and cordials.
• Cereals containing gluten: barley and wheat in most beers, lagers and stouts. Only tag a beer gluten-free if the producer labels it as gluten-free.
• Milk: cream liqueurs, coffee drinks, and some cocktails made with cream.
• Eggs: egg white in sours and some classic cocktails.
• Tree nuts: nut liqueurs and almond-based syrups such as orgeat.
• Celery and fish: celery salt and Worcestershire sauce in a Bloody Mary.

Some wines and beers are fined with milk, egg or fish-derived products. Check labels and supplier specifications rather than assuming, and recheck whenever you change supplier. For bar-specific advice, see QR ordering for bars and QR ordering for restaurants.

Allergen checklist for your digital menu

• Every food and drink item has its allergens recorded, including options and mixers.
• Allergen information comes from recipe cards and supplier specifications.
• The menu tells customers to speak to staff about allergies.
• A written allergen record is kept behind the bar for staff and for customers without a phone.
• Staff know what to do when a customer declares an allergy.
• Anything you pre-wrap on site has a full PPDS label.
• Allergens are reviewed whenever a recipe, product or supplier changes.