With one in four Britons said to be living with allergies, the newly-implemented Natasha’s Law is deemed a big moment in the history of food safety. Experts claim that on average ten people in Britain die every year from food-induced anaphylaxis, of which a significant percentage are triggered by food allergies.
Since there is no cure for food intolerance or allergy, those who suffer from these conditions have to observe a strict avoidance diet, where a minor slip-up of might result in a drastic, sometimes even fatal turn of events.
From October 1, a new food allergen law, popularly known as Natasha’s Law, has come into effect in England, under which prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) food needs to be labelled with the full list of ingredients and allergens. As of now, the law is applicable in England and will not be legally required in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. That said, once the impact of the legislation is apparent, it’s likely that the rest of the UK will follow suit.
There was a lot of confusion earlier regarding this amendment when it was introduced. A research paper published in early September surveying 500 food industry employers and employees commissioned by global standards organisation GS1 UK found that 40 per cent of businesses had not yet heard of Natasha’s Law. It also found that 80 per cent of those surveyed felt unprepared for the new legislation.
Representative iStock image
Food Standards Agency (FSA) spokesperson emphasised how the new law is very much applicable to convenience store owners, who offer food-to-go, as well.
“The new law applies to any business which sells food which is packaged at the same place it is offered or sold to consumers and is in this packaging before it is ordered or selected. For example, if you package and sell sandwiches on the same site in a shop these will now need to be labelled with an ingredients list with any of the 14 major allergens emphasised in the list,” FSA spokesperson told Asian Trader.
“It can include food that consumers select themselves – from a display unit, for example - as well as products kept behind a counter and some food sold at mobile or temporary outlets.”
It is clear now that the law does have a huge role to play in the retail environment as well.
So if a retailer offers sandwiches, burgers, cupcakes or any other forms of food-to-go, you will need to abide strictly by the new labelling rules. It is absolutely vital that any information about food allergens is printed, clearly displayed on packaging, and does not rely on verbal communication only.
Jon Taylor, Mutual Manager of The Retail Mutual reiterated that Natasha’s law will affect any business which provides food prepacked for direct sale or PPDS.
"If this applies to your business you must comply with the new allergen labelling laws, introduced with effect from 1st October 2021. The Food Standards Agency provides labelling guidance for PPDS foods and an online tool to help businesses understand how the law will impact their operations," he said.
Apart from stores selling food-to-go, the new law is also applicable in a range of businesses including fast food outlets, takeaways, bakers, butchers and market stalls.
If still confused, the FSA spokesperson advised everyone to visit the dedicated PPDS Hub online which has a checker tool that businesses can use to see if they are affected.
Background on Natasha’s Law
Before Oct 1, only pre-packed food and drinks that are prepared “off site” needed to be clearly labelled with an ingredients list and with allergen information emphasised.
The law was introduced in 2019 following the tragic death of teenager Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, who suffered a fatal allergic reaction after eating a baguette bought from Pret a Manger.
The packaging for the fatal baguette contained no allergen details, since pre-Oct 2021 laws did not require food prepared on-site to be labelled with such information. Natasha innocently assumed it was safe, being unaware that the baguette contained sesame seeds, which unfortunately resulted in a severe allergic reaction and her subsequent death.
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But from a legal standpoint, Pret a Manger was not required to provide allergen information on a freshly made, non-pre-packaged food.
Following the teenager’s death, her parents campaigned for a change to the law to better protect allergy sufferers. It was due to their relentless efforts the government agreed that stronger laws should be implemented to protect those with food allergies and give them greater confidence in the food they buy.
Natasha’s parents – Nadim and Tanya Ednan-Laperouse – told Asian Trader how their campaign for a new labelling law was about saving lives.
“Natasha’s Law marks a major milestone in our campaign to support the two to three million people in this country living with food allergies. Food allergies can be fatal – and the number of people, particularly children, being diagnosed is rising. The introduction of Natasha’s Law is vital to help protect people with food allergies from life-threatening allergic reactions. This is about saving lives,” they said.
“This change in the law brings greater transparency about the foods people are buying and eating. It will give people with food allergies confidence when they are buying pre-packaged food for direct sale such as sandwiches and salads. Everyone should be able to consume food safely.”
Nadim and Tanya Ednan-Laperouse
Now that the law has come into effect and people are realising its importance, it now seems that there was always a glaringly obvious need for such a mandate.
“The coroner’s verdict was articulated perfectly, the loophole in the food law was being misused. The coroner also stated that the baguette containing hidden sesame seeds that Natasha consumed, had it been properly labelled, she would not have eaten it. Natasha would not have died. We have to live with that reality every day,” said Natasha’s parents.
David Pickering from Chartered Trading Standards Institute, which represents trading standards professionals working in the UK, pointed out how the new law will touch the lives of every Briton for good. He also admits the gap was always there.
“The practical issue was that either consumers felt it too difficult to ask for the information or if there was a big queue in a shop they again felt awkward or felt they didn’t want to hold people up. There was also sometimes a gap in the food business ability to convey correct information properly to consumers,” he told Asian Trader.
How to Label
Just to reiterate, the following information must, by law, now should be displayed on the label:
Name of the food: This must be clearly stated and not misleading. If the food has been processed in some way, then this must be stated for example, smoked bacon.
List of ingredients: The ingredients must be listed in the order of the weight with the greatest first.
Allergen information: Where one of the 14 major allergens are present as highlighted earlier in this article then they must be declared by law. The allergens must be emphasised in the ingredients list, the most used emphasis is bold lettering, or through contrasting colours or underlining them.
Pic from food.gov.uk
Although customers may be intolerant or allergic to other ingredients, the following 14 allergens must be declared as by current UK food laws.
Celery
2. Cereals containing gluten (oats and barley)
3. Crustaceans (crabs, lobster, prawns)
4. Eggs
5. Fish
6. Milk
7. Lupin
8. Molluscs (oysters and mussels)
9. Mustard
10. Sesame
11. Peanuts
12. Soybeans
13. Sulphur dioxide and sulphites (for concentrations above ten parts per million)
14. Tree nuts (almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, cashews, macadamias, and pistachios)
Where it is not easily identifiable by the ingredient name that there is an allergen present, for example, tofu, then next to the ingredient the name of the allergen must be stated, to illustrate this, e.g “tofu (soya)”.
Penalty and Appeal
Food and beverage independent distributor ShelfNow feels that though small retailers have already had to do huge amounts of work during the pandemic to comply with Covid-19 and this can feel like an extra burden for many, the compliance is still necessary and inescapable.
“Essentially, if you package food on your site for customers to buy, you’ll need to make sure you're compliant with the new regulations, no matter the size of your business. If you already buy your packaged food from another supplier, it does not count as PPDS but products will still need to include a full ingredients list and allergen highlighting on-pack,” said Philip Linardos, co-founder and CEO of ShelfNow- which is also a member of the Association of Convenience Stores and has played a key role in supporting retailers ahead of Natasha’s Law.
While it is clear that the new legislation asks for investment and extra staff time to label products according to the law, the consequences of not complying are dire, with possible fines and risk to customer safety as well as reputational damage.
Compliance with the law will be checked during routine food inspections by local authority officers, said an FSA spokesperson, who added that just like any other food safety concern, people can report breaches of the law to the food team at their local authority who will then investigate the matter.
Compliance with the law will also be checked during “routine food inspections by local authority officers” although they may also visit food businesses “just to check this new compliance with the PPDS requirements”, said the spokesperson.
Representative iStock image
Failure to provide the correct allergenic information on PPDS constitutes an offence and may result in a criminal prosecution. Such a failure may be prosecuted as an offence contrary to regulation 10 of FIR (as amended) or regulation 19 of the Food Safety and Hygiene Regulations 2013.
The FSA says that if the local authority officer finds “significant problems”, they may carry out a full investigation. This will normally involve the owner of the food business being invited to a formal interview with council officers. This will give them the opportunity to explain the problems that were found at the business. The local authority will consider all the evidence and facts before deciding whether to prosecute the business for non-compliances, informed FSA spokesperson.
“In deciding what action to take, local authorities will consider the nature of the breach, such as the severity of any breaches and how many products are incorrectly labelled, and the history of compliance. In the most serious cases, food business owners could be prosecuted by the local authority and be given a potentially unlimited fine or even a prison sentence by a court,” the FSA spokesperson clarified.
Challenges and how to prepare
This new legislation means that food businesses of all sizes have a legal obligation to implement some sort of labelling system. Although big firms can afford the luxury of electronic labelling systems, smaller retailers are left to print their own labels with some resorting to handwritten ingredient lists.
The challenges that Natasha’s Law presents also include staff-training on ingredients and labelling, the expenses related to training and labelling, and the time it takes to label individual products. Small and medium c-store owners may struggle with the costs of implementing all of these factors as well.
Mos Patel, owner of Family Shopper in Ashton and Premier store in Oldham as well as the winner of Food-To-Go Retailer of the Year accolade at the 31st Asian Trader Awards, admits that making this transition was not easy but now that the law has come into effect, adhering to it is paramount in his day-to-day business.
Pizza in the making at Patel's store
“We are making sure that every item in our food-to-go is well labelled, including cakes and sandwiches. We are printing labels as per the norms issued by the government though it is a manpower-consuming and time-taking exercise, almost two hours monthly if you see it that way,” he told Asian Trader, adding that he is still making sure nothing from his stores’ food-to-go sections goes unlabelled.
Both the FSA spokesperson and Pickering pointed out that there is a lot of guidance on the internet produced by the FSA and other organisations.
“Some local authorities offer free business advice but some charge for it. Even if your local authority charges it is a price worth paying to ensure you sell food legally,” Pickering said, adding the bottom line that, “if you pack and sell food on your premises, you need to ensure an accurate ingredients list on those products.”
Food and beverage independent distributor ShelfNow claims that it has seen its partners introduce a raft of new measures in recent months in anticipation of the new legislation. Staff training has also been stepped up to ensure that all front of house teams are briefed and can speak with confidence about prepared goods and any allergen ingredients that have been used in certain products, says the firm.
“The FSA is a useful guide for all things related to Natasha's Law. It's also created a handy tool to help you understand if you need to make changes and what you need to do. If you can’t adapt your current products to be compliant you’ll either need to change the products or buy packaged food from a compliant supplier,” Linardos told Asian Trader.
Conclusion
Some industry experts still feel that Natasha’s Law may not be a “silver bullet”. What happens if a printer breaks down or someone puts the wrong label on a sandwich? How is the system going to be policed? Who will check if labelling is correct? They are questions that only time will answer.
However, it is paramount that every worker in the store is allergen aware. There are multiple providers of allergen awareness training including one by Allergy UK that has extensive information and FSA guidance. It's critical that all staff, not just those involved in food preparation but everyone in the store, have a clear understanding of the importance of allergen labelling and what the regulations mean.
Natasha’s parents also urge everyone in the industry to take action to make sure they are compliant with Natasha’s Law.
“With people’s lives at stake, no food retailer wants to be on the wrong side of this issue,” they said, adding that more still needs to be done to support people in this country with food allergies. Their charity is now campaigning for “Allergy Tsar” to ensure people with food allergies receive correct and appropriate support, including joined up health care to prevent avoidable deaths and severe ill health.
Now that Natasha’s Law is here, people with food allergies have found a new hope. Ultimately, lives will be saved, and the level of awareness around the importance of food allergen information will be elevated like never before.
For more information on PPDS, please visit the PPDS hub of the FSA website at www.food.gov.uk/ppds.
UK retail sales rose less than expected in the runup to Christmas, according to official data Friday that deals a fresh blow to government hopes of growing the economy.
Separate figures revealed a temporary reprieve for prime minister Keir Starmer, however, as public borrowing fell sharply in November.
The updates follow news this week of higher inflation in Britain - an outcome that caused the Bank of England on Thursday to leave interest rates unchanged.
Retail sales by volume grew 0.2 per cent in November after a drop of 0.7 per cent in October, the Office for National Statistics said Friday.
That was less than analysts' consensus for a 0.5-percent gain.
"It is critical delayed spending materialises this Christmas to mitigate the poor start to retail's all-important festive season," noted Nicholas Found, senior consultant at Retail Economics.
"However, cautiousness lingers, slowing momentum in the economy. Households continue to adjust to higher prices (and) elevated interest rates."
He added that consumers were focused on buying "carefully timed promotions and essentials, while deferring bigger purchases".
The ONS reported that supermarkets benefited from higher food sales.
"Clothing stores sales dipped sharply once again, as retailers reported tough trading conditions," said Hannah Finselbach, senior statistician at the ONS.
Retail sales rose 0.2% in November 2024, following a fall of 0.7% in October 2024.
Growth in supermarkets and other non-food stores was partly offset by a fall in clothing retailers.
The Labour government's net borrowing meanwhile dropped to £11.2 billion last month, the lowest November figure in three years on higher tax receipts and lower debt-interest, the ONS added.
The figure had been £18.2 billion in October.
"Borrowing remains subject to upside risks... due to sticky interest rates, driven by markets repricing for fewer cuts in 2025," forecast Elliott Jordan-Doak, senior UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics.
Jacqui Baker, head of retail at RSM UK and chair of ICAEW’s Retail Group, commented that the later than usual Black Friday weekend meant November’s retail sales figures saw only a slight uptick as cost-conscious consumers held off to bag a bargain.
“Despite many retailers launching Black Friday offers early, November trade got off to a slow start which dragged on for most of the month. This was driven by clothing which fell to its lowest level since January 2022. The only saving grace was half-term and Halloween spending helped to slightly offset disappointing sales throughout November,” Baker said.
“As consumer confidence continues to build and shoppers return to the high street, this should translate into more retail spending next year. However, there are big challenges coming down the track for the sector, so retailers will be banking on a consumer-led recovery to come to fruition so they can combat a surge in costs.”
Thomas Pugh, economist at RSM UK, added: “The tick up in retail sales volumes in November suggests that the stagnation which has gripped the UK economy since the summer continued into the final months of the year.
“While the recent strong pay growth numbers may make the Bank of England uncomfortable, it means that real incomes are growing at just under 3 per cent, which suggests consumer spending should gradually rise next year. However, consumers remain extremely cautious. The very sharp drop in clothing sales in particular could suggest that consumers are cutting back on non-essential purchases.
“We still expect a rise in consumer spending next year, due to strong wage growth and a gradual decline in the saving rate, to help drive an acceleration in GDP growth. But the risks are clearly building that cautious consumers choose to save rather than spend increases in income, raising the risk of weaker growth continuing through the first half of next year.”
Dutch dairy collective FrieslandCampina has agreed to merge with smaller Belgian rival Milcobel, creating a leading dairy cooperative.
FrieslandCampina, whose brands include Yazoo and Chocomel, said the merger will provide the foundation for a future-oriented organisation that has dairy front and centre for member dairy farmers, employees, consumers, and customers.
The proposed merger is subject to approval by FrieslandCampina’s members’ council, Milcobel’s extraordinary meeting of shareholders, and antitrust authorities. The companies said member dairy farmers, employees, works councils and trade unions have been informed about the merger proposal.
Both companies, owned by dairy farmers for many generations, complement each other well in market positions and product portfolios. The merger offers further business development opportunities in market segments such as consumer cheese, mozzarella, white dairy products (such as milk, buttermilk, and yoghurt), and ingredients, as well as benefits in efficiency and expertise, for example in the area of sustainability.
“The combination of FrieslandCampina and Milcobel is bigger than the sum of its parts. It creates a future-oriented, combined dairy cooperative that is resilient and capable of capitalising on opportunities in the dynamic global dairy market,” said Sybren Attema, chair of the board of Zuivelcoöperatie FrieslandCampina.
“This strengthens our appeal to member dairy farmers, business partners and employees. Moreover, this step supports us in realising a leading milk price for our member dairy farmers, now and in the future.”
Betty Eeckhaut, chair of the board of Milcobel, said: “The cooperative philosophy, which is deeply rooted at both Milcobel and FrieslandCampina, is the bedrock for this proposed merger. Our goal remains to create added value for our member dairy farmers.
“Through our regional complementarity we will become the cooperative dairy partner of choice for current and new members, with a solid milk supply for a successful future. For employees, the new organisation provides great opportunities to grow in an international environment. For customers, this merger means more innovation, an expanded product portfolio and further professionalisation of our services.”
Based on the combined 2023 annual figures of FrieslandCampina and Milcobel - excluding Milcobel's Ysco business, which is in the process of being divested - the new, combined organisation has a pro forma revenue of more than €14 billion (£11.6bn) , operates in 30 countries, employs nearly 22,000 staff worldwide, and processes a total volume of approximately 10 billion kilograms of milk.
The boards of the cooperatives and executive management of the two parties have signed a framework agreement regarding the proposed merger. The companies aim to finalise a detailed merger proposal in the first half of 2025, which will then be discussed with the members of FrieslandCampina and the shareholders of Milcobel.
The UK government has pledged stronger measures to combat anti-social behaviour and shoplifting, which it acknowledges as serious crimes that disrupt communities and harm businesses.
Addressing a House of Lords debate on Monday, Home Office minister Lord Hanson detailed plans to abolish the controversial £200 shoplifting threshold and to introduce a new offence for assaults on retail workers.
“Anti-social behaviour and shop theft are not minor crimes. They cause disruption in our communities,” Lord Hanson stated.
“Shop theft in particular costs retailers across the nation millions of pounds, which is passed on to us as customers, and it is not acceptable. That is why, on shop theft, we are going to end the £200 effective immunity. For shop workers, we will protect them by introducing a new offence, because they are very often upholding the law in their shops on alcohol, tobacco and other sales.”
He also emphasised the government’s commitment to restoring visible neighbourhood policing, with 13,000 additional officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) planned, as well as piloting new “respect orders” to ban repeat offenders from town centres.
Later on Wednesday, the home secretary announced a £1 billion funding boost for police across England and Wales to restore neighbourhood policing. The money will include new funding of £100 million to kickstart the recruitment of 13,000 additional neighbourhood officers, community support officers and special constables.
The debate was initiated by Labour peer Baroness Ayesha Hazarika, who painted a vivid picture of the toll anti-social behaviour takes on workers and communities. “Many people who work in shops feel like they are living in a war zone,” she said. “Anti-social behaviour can so often be the canary down the coal mine and tell a wider story about what kind of society we are living in.”
Baroness Hazarika also urged the use of technology such as facial recognition to target hardened criminals responsible for terrorising shops and local residents.
Lord Hanson agreed, adding that the government is equipping police with the resources to better address persistent offenders, including funding initiatives like Operation Pegasus, which targets organised retail crime.
Retail trade union Usdaw has welcomed the Lords debate tackling anti-social behaviour and shoplifting.
“We very much welcome that Baroness Hazarika has raised this hugely important issue for our members. It is shocking that over two-thirds of our members working in retail are suffering abuse from customers, with far too many experiencing threats and violence,” Paddy Lillis, Usdaw general secretary, said.
“After 14 years of successive Tory governments not delivering the change we need on retail crime, we are pleased that the new Labour government announced a Crime and Policing Bill in the King’s Speech and all the measures that it contains, as set out by Lord Hanson.
“The chancellor announced in the Budget funding to tackle the organised criminals responsible for the increase in shoplifting, and the government has promised more uniformed officer patrols in shopping areas. It is our hope that these new measures will help give shop workers the respect they deserve.”
In response to the mounting pressures faced by postmasters across the UK, the Post Office has unveiled a centralised wellbeing platform aimed at simplifying access to support resources.
Post Office said the surge in shoplifting and violent incidents, documented in the 2024 ACS Crime Report, has only intensified the demand for comprehensive support.
With shoplifting on the rise year-on-year since 2021, and the Christmas trading period presenting heightened risks due to increased footfall and stock levels, the wellbeing of postmasters has become a pressing concern.
The new wellbeing platform, accessible via the Branch Hub app, provides a single point of access to a range of resources designed to meet Postmasters' immediate and ongoing needs. It is divided into three sections:
‘I Need Help Right Now’: Offers urgent support, including access to emergency services, mental health first aiders, , area and business support managers and organisations like Samaritans.
‘More Support and Guidance’: Provides practical tools such as security advice, social media abuse resources, and connections to organisations like Citizens Advice and Mind.
‘Access Community Support’: Encourages peer connections through WhatsApp and Facebook groups, as well as in-person meetings.
The initiative, a collaboration between the Post Office, the National Federation of Sub-Postmasters (NFSP), and Voice of the Postmaster, underscores a shift towards a more cooperative approach between historically independent groups, and creates a shared wellbeing network that is accessible to all postmasters, regardless of affiliation.
Mark Eldridge, postmaster experience director at Post Office, said the initiative will ensure that anyone who needs help can find it quickly and easily.
“It’s about creating a culture of care and resilience in the face of the challenges our postmasters face every day. If the initiative means helping just one postmaster, then we have done our job successfully,” Eldridge added.
Tony Fleming, postmaster at Thorne Post Office, shared how the initiative provided vital support following a traumatic armed robbery at his branch.
“It was incredibly difficult for the person faced with this violent threat, as well as the wider team. It’s a traumatic experience to go through as part of your day job and having the immediate support of the Wellbeing resource was invaluable – it really was wellbeing personified and gave me and everyone in the branch the support to get back to doing what we do best, serving our fantastic community in Thorne,” Fleming said.
Paul Patel, a Hampshire-based postmaster, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the platform’s ability to combat isolation and foster collaboration:
“It has been a difficult time for all postmasters who continue to serve their communities every day often feeling alone in their daily work life. It’s such a privilege to collaborate across the network to support Postmasters wellbeing from forming friendships to guiding for more professional support.”
Christine Donnelly of the NFSP highlighted the initiative’s accessibility and symbolic value.
“From a postmaster perspective this works on several levels. It is an easily accessible resource that offers advice and facts, but it also says by implication that we care, that participants from different areas of the business recognised a need and worked together to make it the best it could be,” Donnelly noted.
“It says you are not alone or the only one - how can you be if there is a whole site available?”
The Post Office plans to evolve the platform based on postmaster feedback, ensuring it remains relevant to emerging challenges.
Earlier this week, Post Office has announced a £20 million boost for postmasters to address their concerns that their income has not kept up with inflation over the past decade.
Both independent postmasters and Post Office’s retail partners that operate branches on its behalf will receive the top-up payment ahead of Christmas. The top-up payment will be based on both the standard fixed and variable remuneration the branch received in November.
Independent retailers have weathered one of their most challenging years in 2024, with multiple headwinds affecting the sector, according to the British Independent Retailers Association (Bira).
With pressures mounting throughout the year, independent retailers have faced an increasingly difficult trading environment marked by changing consumer behaviour and economic uncertainties.
"2024 has presented unprecedented challenges for independent retailers,” said Andrew Goodacre, CEO of Bira. “Consumer spending on non-food items has declined significantly, while persistent footfall problems and fragile consumer confidence have impacted high streets nationwide. Despite inflation coming under control, interest rates are falling slowly, affecting both business and consumer spending."
"The retail landscape has become increasingly competitive, with large chains implementing deeper and longer discount periods. The rise of ultra-fast fashion retailers like Shein and Temu has created additional pressure on margins, whilst deflation on non-food items has further squeezed profits," he added.
The sector has also grappled with retail crime, with Bira's latest survey showing 78.79 per cent of businesses reporting increased frequency or severity of theft incidents.
Research from PwC earlier this year also highlighted the scale of the challenge, with 6,945 outlets shutting – equating to 38 store closures per day, up from 36 per day in 2023. The figure outnumbered the rate of new store openings, which rose modestly to 4,661, averaging 25 openings each day.
Mr Goodacre said: "The key difficulties independent retailers are grappling with include low consumer demand, as consumer confidence remains fragile and shoppers are highly value-focused. Independent shops struggle to compete on price as large chains are able to discount more deeply and for longer periods."
Looking ahead to 2025, retailers face new challenges. He added: "Medium-sized retailers will see a significant increase in employment costs, while thousands of smaller retailers will be hit with higher business rates as relief drops from 75per cent to 40 per cent."
However, Mr Goodacre said he sees reasons for optimism and added: "We expect 2025 to bring some positive changes. Wages are set to rise faster than inflation, which should boost consumer spending. Both inflation and interest rates should continue to fall, helping to rebuild consumer confidence."
"The circular economy presents a growing opportunity for independent retailers, and with economic growth set to improve, we anticipate better trading conditions. While challenges remain, independent retailers who stay adaptable and resilient will find opportunities in the year ahead."