Allergen information when you sell food online

If you sell food online or over the phone, customers can't ask at the counter, so the rules make sure they get the information another way. This is a plain-English summary; for the full detail, read the Food Standards Agency's guidance on allergen information for food sold at a distance.

The short version

For food that isn't prepacked (which covers most takeaway food), when you sell at a distance, allergen information must be available:

• Before the customer buys, for example on your website or menu, or by phone; and
• When the food is delivered, for example a sticker or label on the dish, a note with the order, or by telling them.

The 14 allergens

Celery, cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, lupin, milk, molluscs, mustard, tree nuts, peanuts, sesame, soya, and sulphur dioxide/sulphites.

Making it easy to get right

1. 1Record allergens against every dish, including sauces and sides, and keep them up to date when a supplier or recipe changes.
2. 2Show them on your online menu next to each dish, so customers see them before they order.
3. 3Ask about allergies at checkout and make sure the note reaches the kitchen in a way nobody can miss.
4. 4Label or note allergens on delivery, especially for orders flagged with an allergy.
5. 5Train staff who take phone orders to check the allergen information rather than guess.

Direct Dine shows each dish's allergens on your ordering site, asks customers about allergies at checkout, and prints an allergy note prominently on the kitchen ticket.

When in doubt

If you're not sure a dish is safe for someone, say so. "We can't guarantee it" is always better than a guess. Your local authority's food safety team can also advise.