Food prep labelling & allergen rules for UK kitchens

Environmental Health Officers expect every prepared or opened food in your fridges and freezers to be identifiable and in date. Clear labels help you pass inspections, protect your food hygiene rating, cut waste and keep customers with allergies safe.

• Product name — what the food actually is.
• Date prepared (or opened / defrosted).
• Use-by date, worked out from your agreed shelf life.
• Allergens contained in the item.
• Who prepared it — so questions can be answered quickly.

Most kitchens set shelf lives in their food safety management system (such as Safer Food, Better Business). Typical house rules are around 2–3 days for chilled cooked items, but always follow your own HACCP decisions and supplier guidance. Food should never be used after its use-by date. Writing dates in the same format every time (for example DD/MM/YYYY with the day of the week) avoids confusion across shifts.

UK law requires businesses to know and tell customers about 14 allergens: celery, gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, lupin, milk, molluscs, mustard, tree nuts, peanuts, sesame, soya and sulphites. Having them on each prep label means front-of-house staff can answer allergy questions with confidence.

Since October 2021, food prepacked for direct sale — such as sandwiches made and wrapped on site before ordering — must carry the full name and an ingredients list with allergens emphasised. Check the Food Standards Agency guidance if you sell food this way.

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This guide is general information, not legal advice. Always check current Food Standards Agency guidance and your local authority.