Food Label Checker for PPDS and Natasha's Law Compliance

Understanding PPDS Labeling Under Natasha's Law

Natasha's Law (the UK Food Information Amendment), which came into force in October 2021, requires businesses selling prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) foods to include a label with the product name, a full ingredients list, and allergen emphasis (typically bold text) for all 14 regulated allergens present in the product.

PPDS foods are items prepared and packaged on the same premises from which they are sold, before a customer selects or orders them. Examples include sandwiches made in-store and placed in a display case, salads packed in containers before service, and bakery items wrapped on-site.

Before Natasha's Law, PPDS foods were exempt from full ingredient labeling. The change affects cafes, bakeries, delis, food stalls, and any food business selling pre-wrapped items made on-premises. Non-compliance can result in enforcement action from local authorities.

Checking PPDS Labels with MmowW's Label Checker

MmowW's tool helps verify that PPDS labels meet the requirements introduced by Natasha's Law.

1. Enter the product name — Verify it accurately describes the food.
2. Input the full ingredient list — Include every ingredient and sub-ingredient, listed in descending order of weight.
3. Check allergen emphasis — The tool verifies that all 14 UK-regulated allergens present in the product are highlighted (bold, italic, or otherwise visually distinct) within the ingredient list.
4. Review compliance flags — Address any missing elements or formatting issues.

Key Benefits

• Natasha's Law compliance — Verify that your PPDS labels meet the specific requirements of the UK Food Information Amendment.
• Allergen emphasis verification — Confirm that all relevant allergens are properly highlighted in the ingredient list.
• Prevent enforcement action — Non-compliant PPDS labeling can result in improvement notices, prosecution, or product withdrawal.

Real Scenarios

A sandwich shop making and wrapping sandwiches for display runs their labels through the checker. The tool flags that their "BLT" label lists "bread" without disclosing the wheat (gluten) content — an allergen that must be emphasized.

A bakery packaging cakes in-store discovers through the label checker that their labels are missing the allergen emphasis for soya lecithin present in the chocolate coating — a sub-ingredient they had not highlighted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does PPDS labeling apply if I only sell a few wrapped items?

A: Yes. Natasha's Law applies to all PPDS foods regardless of the volume sold. Even one pre-wrapped sandwich requires a compliant label.

Q: What about foods packed at a customer's request?

A: Foods packed in response to a direct customer request (e.g., a sandwich made to order and then wrapped) are generally not PPDS and have different allergen information requirements. The distinction depends on when the packaging decision is made.

Q: Do I need to include nutrition information on PPDS labels?

A: Nutrition information is not currently mandatory for PPDS foods under UK regulations. However, the product name, full ingredient list with allergen emphasis, and business name and address are required.

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What's Next?

Build a complete allergen management system with MmowW's Allergen Matrix Builder and support your HACCP documentation with the CCP Decision Tree.

MmowW's food safety SaaS manages PPDS labeling alongside your food safety program. Start your 14-day free trial — $29.99/month.

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