Natasha's Law & PPDS Labelling: UK Allergen Label Requirements
Natasha's Law is a major shift in UK food labelling. If you sell food that is prepacked for direct sale (PPDS), you must provide a full ingredients list with allergens clearly emphasised. This applies to cafés, bakeries, supermarkets, and any grab-and-go operation packaging food on site.
This guide is a practical summary for operations and procurement teams, not legal advice. Always validate requirements with your compliance lead.
What is Natasha's Law?
Officially the UK Food Information Amendment, Natasha's Law came into force on 1 October 2021 following the death of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse after an allergic reaction to a prepacked sandwich. The law requires PPDS food to carry a full ingredients list with allergens highlighted within that list.
What counts as PPDS (Prepacked for Direct Sale)?
A food is PPDS when all three conditions apply:
- It is packaged (fully or partially enclosed).
- It is packaged before the customer selects it.
- It is packaged at the same place it is sold.
Common PPDS examples include:
- Sandwiches wrapped in the café kitchen and placed in a grab-and-go fridge.
- Salad bowls, sushi boxes, or bakery items packed on-site and displayed for self-service.
- Supermarket deli or hot counter items packaged ahead of time for later pickup.
Non-PPDS examples include:
- Food made to order and packaged after the customer requests it.
- Meals packed off-site by a manufacturer and delivered as prepacked goods.
Label requirements under Natasha's Law
For PPDS foods, the old “ask staff for allergens” sticker is not sufficient. The label must show:
- Name of the food (e.g., “Chicken & Bacon Sandwich”).
- Full ingredients list in descending order by weight.
- Allergens emphasised within the ingredients list (e.g., bold, italic, or colour). The UK list contains 14 major allergens.
Operational impact for QSR and retail teams
PPDS labelling is a daily operational task, not a one-time update. Ingredient lists change, recipes vary by site, and promotional products create longer labels. That makes label length and print flexibility a real compliance risk.
Where operations struggle
- Fixed-size labels that are too short for long ingredient lists.
- Multiple label SKUs for different products and pack sizes.
- Wasted labels and roll changes during service peaks.
Why linerless labels help with PPDS compliance
Linerless printing is a practical fit for Natasha's Law because it prints to the exact length of the data. That means one roll can handle a short ingredients list and a long seasonal recipe without changing label sizes.
- Variable-length printing: cut-to-length labels expand to fit full ingredient and allergen declarations.
- One roll, many products: fewer SKUs to manage across counters, cafés, and kiosks.
- Waste reduction: no silicone backing paper to dispose of, supporting waste and sustainability targets.
PPDS labelling checklist
- Identify which items are PPDS at each site and line.
- Standardise ingredient data and allergen highlighting in your POS or label templates.
- Validate label length and readability at typical viewing distance.
- Confirm printers are linerless-ready and set to continuous media mode.
- Train staff on template selection and on-pack checks.
Related resources
- Sustainable Labeling & UK Regulations hub
- QSR & hospitality labels
- Retail & supermarket labels
- Thermal paper food safety guide
Need PPDS-ready label samples? Request a free sample pack and we'll help you match the right linerless widths and adhesives to your menu and equipment.