PPDS Allergen Labels for Cafes and Pubs

Many cafes, pubs, restaurants and coffee shops sell food that is made on site, packed before the customer chooses it, and ready to take away. This is prepacked for direct sale food, usually called PPDS.

The GOV.UK guidance for restaurants, cafes and pubs was updated in July 2026, so it is a good time to check that your labels still match the food you are selling. Sandwiches, salad boxes, wrapped cakes, soup pots, pies and prepacked paninis can all fall into this area.

What PPDS means in practice

PPDS food is not the same as food made to order. If the item is already packaged on your premises before the customer orders or selects it, it normally needs a label with the food name and a full ingredients list.

Any of the 14 regulated allergens in the ingredients list need to stand out clearly. This can be done with bold text, capital letters, underlining or another clear method that customers can read.

The small details matter. If you change a bread, dressing, filling, garnish or supplier, the label needs to change too. A label that was correct last week can be wrong after one ingredient swap.

Do not mix up counter food, delivery and made-to-order food

Food sold online or over the phone has its own allergen information requirements. Customers need the allergen information before they order and again when the food is delivered.

Food made fresh after the customer orders it is not PPDS, but you still need to give allergen information for the 14 regulated allergens. For a busy team, the simplest approach is to keep one accurate set of ingredient and allergen records, then use it for labels, menus, staff questions and delivery information.

Free-from claims need extra care

A recent Lancashire Trading Standards case showed the risk of selling food as dairy free when testing found milk protein in the product. The restaurant and director received a financial penalty after the business had been warned about allergen controls.

That is a clear lesson for hospitality. If you describe something as dairy free, gluten free, nut free or suitable for a customer with an allergy, that claim must be backed by your ingredients, supplier information and kitchen process. Staff should not guess from memory during service.

A simple PPDS label check

• List every item that is packed before the customer chooses it.
• Check the food name and full ingredients list for each item.
• Make sure all 14 regulated allergens are emphasised in the ingredients list.
• Check compound ingredients such as bread, pastry, sauces, stock, mayonnaise and marinades.
• Review any "may contain" or "not suitable for" warnings when suppliers or processes change.
• Make sure delivery, website and counter information all use the same allergen records.

How Allergy Menu can help

Allergy Menu helps you keep allergen and ingredient information in one central place. You can update dishes and ingredients from your dashboard, then use that information for your menu, QR code menu, staff checks and labels.

This is useful for PPDS food because the label depends on the ingredient record being right. If a supplier changes a product, or a chef changes a filling, you can update the information before old labels and old menu answers cause confusion.

It also helps your front of house team. Instead of relying on memory, staff can check the current allergy information and give customers a consistent answer.

Want to see how it works? Sign up today and get one month free to try Allergy Menu in your business.

Written on 2026-09-02 by Juliet Moran

More Articles: