First published on Thursday, Aug 13, 2020
Last updated on Tuesday, Jul 16, 2019
New food labelling reforms will affect thousands of small businesses across the UK by 2021.
The legislation dubbed ‘Natasha’s Law’ will tighten allergen labelling practices following the tragic death of 15-year-old Natasha Ednan-Laperouse. The teenager died after an allergic reaction to a Pret a Manger baguette.
The new law will require all food businesses to clearly label the full ingredients of pre-packaged food.
What does this mean for my business?
If your business sells food, you have until summer 2021 to comply with these new regulations.
That means any pre-packaged food for direct sale will need to have full allergen labelling. This will help customers to have more confidence when purchasing meals on the go.
And if I’m not in the food industry?
You still have a duty of care to your employees. So make sure that you keep a record of your staff’s allergies and how severe they are.
Because certain allergies can count as a disability under the Equality Act 2010. And if that’s the case, you need to make reasonable adjustments to your workplace.
For example, you could move your employee’s desk away from the kitchen or provide specific equipment for them to use.
It might also be worth carrying out allergy training in your team so that all staff know how to react in an emergency.
Get help to manage allergies at work
With BrightHR, you’ll never forget about staff allergies or dietary requirements. Because you can use our new notes feature to jot down important information on an employee’s profile.
Plus, BrightAdvice is always there to give you fast employment law support. You can speak to qualified HR experts right now to learn more about Natasha’s Law and how you can start preparing for it.
Call now on 0800 783 2806.