Allergen information: what to publish on your school website
If your school sells food, this is the allergen information for what you serve, usually shown with your menus.
Check this on my websiteWho it applies to
- Published on
- The school's own website
- School type
- Academies and maintained schools
- School stage
- All stages, from early years to sixth form
- Does not apply to
- No school types are excluded
When it's due
Keep it up to date
There's no fixed date. Update it whenever something changes.
What's needed
Show allergen information with your current menus on the school meals page on your website, and publish your whole school food policy.
What it must contain
2 parts- Shows the allergen ingredients in food it servesMust: Required by law, statutory guidance or the academy's funding agreement.
- Publishes a whole school food policyGood practice: Recommended as good practice. Not required.
What the official sources say
Set out in 2 official sources:
School food in England (standards guidance)
The Food Information Regulations 2014 requires all food businesses including school caterers to show the allergen ingredients’ information for the food they serve.
Should: Recommended in official guidance, such as the DfE's. Not a legal requirement in itself.§ Important information
Governing bodies are strongly encouraged to work with the senior leadership team to develop a whole school food policy, including: – setting out the school’s approach to its provision of food – food education (including practical cooking) – the role of the catering team as part of the wider school team – the school’s strategy to increase the take-up of school lunches
Good practice: Recommended as good practice. Not required.§ What the governing body should do
Food Information Regulations 2014 (SI 2014/1855), revised (incl. Natasha's Law amendments)
The provisions of regulations 6(4) and 7(5) do not apply to an offer for sale made by means of distance communication. Article 14(2) of FIC (as read with other relevant provisions of FIC) applies in the case of such an offer.
Must: Required by law, statutory guidance or the academy's funding agreement.§ Explanatory Note (note on regulations 6 and 7)
29.Article 14(1) (distance selling of prepacked foods)Articles 1(3), 6, 9 and 14(3) and the first subparagraph of Article 54(1)30.Article 14(2) (distance selling of non-prepacked foods)Articles 1(3), 6, 14(1) and 42 and the first subparagraph of Article 54(1)
Must: Required by law, statutory guidance or the academy's funding agreement.§ Schedule 5, Part 2, table entries 29 and 30
Questions schools ask
Do schools have to publish allergen information?
For academies and maintained schools, it's recommended in official guidance, but isn't a legal requirement in itself.
What allergen information do we need to show?
Shows the allergen ingredients in food it serves; Publishes a whole school food policy.
When do we need to update our allergen information?
Keep it up to date. There's no fixed date. Update it whenever something changes.
Where does the requirement for the allergen information come from?
It is set out in School food in England (standards guidance) and Food Information Regulations 2014 (SI 2014/1855), revised (incl. Natasha's Law amendments).
Recent changes to the official guidance
Updates to the official sources that affect this requirement, newest first.
26 August 2021 · School food in England (standards guidance)
Updated to remove references to EU law that no longer apply and added a link to the labelling of allergens on prepacked for direct sales food.
We last checked these sources on 21 September 2026.
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Official wording that does not apply to schools (2)
The School Food Regulations do not apply to food provided: – at parties or celebrations to mark religious or cultural occasions – at fund-raising events – as rewards for achievement, good behaviour or effort – for use in teaching food preparation and cookery skills, including where the food prepared is served to pupils as part of a school lunch – on an occasional basis by parents or pupils
For maintained nurseries and nursery units attached to primary schools there is a reduced set of standards for food served at lunchtime (Schedule 5) and whole milk, rather than lower fat milk, may be provided.
Official sources last checked 21 September 2026 · register version 1.0.4