What Natasha's Law means for hospitality businesses

From 1st October 2021, Natasha's Law will be enforced in England, Wales and Scotland, requiring full labelling of pre-packed food.

In 2016, a fifteen-year-old named Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, died due to an allergic reaction to a Pret a Manger baguette.

Following a campaign by Natasha's parents, the Government have since confirmed that stricter laws will be implemented to protect those with allergies to give them greater confidence in the food they buy.

Under 'Natasha's Law', any food business directly selling pre-packaged food, including sandwiches, salads, pies and cakes, is legally required to list full ingredients on the packaging.

Natasha's Law highlights the importance of managing allergens in your hospitality business.

The Government introduced allergen legislation in 2014, requiring food businesses to inform customers if any of the food they provide contains any of the major 14 allergens:

- Celery
- Cereals containing gluten
- Crustaceans
- Eggs
- Fish
- Lupin
- Milk
- Molluscs
- Mustard
- Nuts
- Peanuts
- Sesame seeds
- Soya
- Sulphur dioxide/sulphites

Ensuring meals or pre-packed food items are safe for customers with food allergies involves listing allergens on printed and online menus and verbal communication (it doesn't require all the ingredients in a dish to be listed).

In addition, ensuring well-organised food prep and hygiene procedures are in place is crucial for eliminating cross-contamination in your kitchen.

Keeping hotel guests safe from food allergens with HopPMS

HopPMS enables you to manage allergen information within the individual guest's profile in the CRM, which also pulls through to the chef's Breakfast Report, ensuring that the kitchen is fully aware of all guests' food allergies before preparing their food.

To find out more and to book an online demo, contact sales@hopsoftware.com.