New legislation, which will require food businesses in Scotland to provide the product name and full ingredients, including allergen information on pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS) foods, has been put before the Scottish Parliament.
The new legislation, was passed on 10th February and is designed to improve information about allergens and other ingredients in food packed in advance, mainly at the same place from which it’s sold, before being offered to consumers.
Examples of PPDS foods include sandwiches placed into packaging by the food business and sold from the same premises, wrapped deli counter goods such as cheese and meats, and boxed salads placed on a refrigerated shelf prior to sale.
These changes are in line with those being made for England, Northern Ireland and Wales as part of a consistent approach for protecting consumers across the UK.
This new requirement follows consultations which included engaging with business and enforcement stakeholders, as well as consumers on improving allergen information, to help prevent further food allergy deaths out of home.
On pack information will include the 14 most common allergens specifically listed in food information law, as well as other ingredients which can trigger reactions.
The new law is intended to come into force on 1st October 2021 to align with the rest of the UK.
“Everyone wants to understand more about what is in their food and we want to give them increased confidence about the food that they buy.”
Food Standards Scotland’s chair, Ross Finnie, said: “The implementation of this new law supports the strong consumer call for complete allergen and ingredient information on PPDS foods, making life easier for many who need to have clarity and trust in the food they buy for safety and dietary reasons.
“This level of transparency is a significant step forward in providing clear information for people with allergies, which can be life threatening if they consume food to which they are allergic.
“While the best level of consumer protection is vital, we recognise that changing labelling requirements will affect businesses, and have carried out extensive stakeholder engagement across industry and enforcement authorities to assess the benefits, risks and impacts.
“We will continue to engage with stakeholders to raise awareness through a communications campaign in the coming months to highlight the changes and provide support through practical guidance and online resources, including an allergen training package which will help businesses and enforcement officers.”
Food Standards Scotland will work closely with the Food Standards Agency to publish information to ensure that businesses of all sizes throughout the UK can prepare and adapt to these changes.
Public Health Minister, Mairi Gougeon, added: “I welcome that Scotland is moving forward and making these important changes. Everyone wants to understand more about what is in their food and we want to give them increased confidence about the food that they buy.
“Having information about allergens and ingredients upfront on the labels of all pre-wrapped food is crucial for people who have food allergies and I am pleased that we are making real progress here.
“I recognise that this is also a challenge for industry, which is why we are announcing these changes now. FSS will continue working with stakeholders over the next eight months to help industry prepare for when the new labelling requirements come into force in October.”
