High on our agenda now is the issue of allergens, and the actions publicans soon have to take to stay on the right side of the regulations, passed in July.
Food allergies and their potentially tragic consequences have become a growing problem in recent years. In Europe, some estimates suggest there are 17m sufferers, with children represented disproportionately.
This growing public health problem has resulted in increased pressure for regulation of hospitality businesses, in terms of keeping customers informed of potential allergen issues relating to food they purchase. There has been a significant new change in UK labelling requirements, which affects both food producers and the wider hospitality industry.
The new regulations mean that businesses serving food must provide on request all allergen information related to non pre-packed foods served in their venue. This includes all drinks on draught, with further labelling requirements for those who produce draught and pre-packed beer, on which we are also advising BBPA members.
Onerous
This regime will undoubtedly be onerous for most publicans. It places the burden firmly on the pub operator to make available to customers on request, accurate information on the allergens contained in each dish they serve, before they purchase. All pubs must have this information available.
In this context, ‘on request’ means the information can be provided separately, rather than alongside menu details. But the customers must be made aware that information is available via a clearly visible sign.
When it comes to ensuring your business complies, there are several options. Printed menus or lists are recommended, but
signs or blackboards are also permitted.
These rules come into force on 14 December and help is at hand for BBPA members, with technical guidance. All members are also encouraged to attend our seminar on the issue on 24 September at the BBPA Key Issues Forum in Birmingham.
To provide industry-wide guidance, a summary is available on our website’s news section, and further information is online.
Time is short to ensure that your pub business is fully compliant with the new regime.
Brigid Simmonds is chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association