In the UK, there are 14 allergens for which businesses must disclose their presence in foods: cereals containing gluten (i.e, wheat, rye, barley, and oats), crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts, soy, milk, tree nuts, celery, mustard, sesame seeds, sulfur dioxide/sulfites, lupin, and mollusks.

Advice offered in the guidance is based on the findings of FSA research and engagement with consumers and food businesses to understand the most effective ways allergen information can be delivered to consumers. The overarching approach is designed to meet the expectations from consumers that allergen information be both easily available in writing and supported by a verbal conversation, beginning with a member of the staff encouraging the customer to relay any allergen requirements, and ending with the confirmation that the customer’s allergen requirements have been met. A flow chart exemplifying an example of an effective conversation is provided in the guidance.

Regarding written information, the guidance states that businesses should ensure that disclosures are readily available (i.e., in the main menu, a dedicated allergen book, displayed on a wall, or elsewhere that a consumer would not have to ask to see it) and affirms that staff are able to support allergen requirements with a conversation. Examples of how to best phrase written allergen disclosures are provided in the guidance. It also suggests that, to give better service and choice to consumers, food businesses could provide a breakdown of the components within a dish, rather than just providing the information on the allergens present in the whole dish.

Businesses selling non-prepackaged food online or by phone should provide allergen information to consumers before food is ordered, and upon delivery.

The guidance also includes advice on the use of voluntary claims like “gluten free” and precautionary allergen labeling (PAL), protecting consumers from allergens not included in the list of 14 major allergens, and how to keep allergen information accurate.