Management Information Sheet

From 1 October 2021, the legal requirements for prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) food labelling has changed. The new labelling will help protect your pupils by providing potentially life-saving allergen information on the packaging. Any business that produces PPDS food will be required to label it with the name of the food and a full ingredients list, with allergenic ingredients emphasised within the list.

The changes to labelling requirements were made following the death of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, who had an allergic reaction caused by a baguette containing sesame which did not require allergen labelling at the time.

Schools, colleges and nurseries need to check if their products require PPDS labelling and what they need to do to comply with the new rules. The Food Standards Agency have developed advice for specific sectors of the food industry which can be accessed at Allergen labelling changes for prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) food on the GOV.UK - Food Standards Agency website.

The specific guidance for schools, colleges and nurseries is attached.

Examples of PPDS food

Prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) food can include the following:

• Sandwiches and bakery products which are packed on site before a consumer selects or orders them
• Fast food packed before it is ordered, such as a burger under a hot lamp where the food cannot be altered without opening the packaging
• Products which are pre-packaged on site ready for sale, such as pizzas, rotisserie chicken, salads and pasta pots
• PPDS food provided in schools, care homes or hospitals and other similar settings will also require labelling

Action and more information

Norfolk Trading Standards would suggest you review all your products to see if they are PPDS.

There are technical labelling rules for names of prepacked foods (product name) and ingredient listing that you will need to consider.

If you require further advice then please email trading.standards@norfolk.gov.uk.