Safe to serve: Public wants more allergy awareness in eateries

Developments in allergy safe practices

Thankfully, people are starting to report on this growing food allergy epidemic, and there's a growing awareness of the importance of safeguarding sufferers of hypersensitivities. In fact, various developments in allergy safety practices over recent years suggest a positive shift in the way we approach the issue.

Natasha's Law

In October 2021, Natasha's Law⁴ was introduced, requiring businesses to declare a complete list of ingredients on any pre-packaged food items that are for direct sale (PPDS). The law was introduced after the tragic death of Natasha Ednan-Laparouse, who suffered a fatal anaphylactic reaction after eating a pre-packaged baguette which, unbeknownst to her, contained sesame seeds, to which she was highly allergic. It's now been two years since Natasha's Law was introduced and the impact is positive, with 40%⁵ of food hypersensitivity sufferers saying their lives have been improved as a result of the new law.

Owen's Law

The Owen's Law Campaign⁶, seeks to mandate allergen labelling on restaurant menus and advocates for proactive communication between restaurant staff and customers regarding potential allergens, alongside thorough staff training in allergen awareness.

The campaign honours the memory of Owen Carey, who tragically lost his life to an allergic reaction after dining out. The Carey family has been at the forefront of the campaign, aiming to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

High Speed Training is proud to be the first training provider to receive an official endorsement from the Owen's Law Campaign. This recognises the comprehensive and rigorous nature of our training, which goes beyond standard guidance and promotes best practices.

In December 2023, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) agreed that they would like to see the provision of written allergen information in the non-prepacked sector be mandated, as called for by the Owen's Law Campaign. The FSA has written to make this recommendation to Ministers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland who are responsible for taking this forward.

“I would expect many businesses to quickly take steps to proactively provide written allergen information on their menus before this becomes a legal requirement. Food business operators will also need to continue to make sure there is an understanding of the current legal requirements amongst all of their staff.”

- Paul Turner, Environmental Health Officer and diagnosed Coeliac

Death of James Atkinson

In 2020, James Atkinson tragically passed away after eating just a few mouthfuls of a takeaway chicken tikka masala pizza that, unknown to James, contained peanuts, to which he was highly allergic. In January 2024, at the inquest into his death, Coroner Karen Dilks stated that she intends to write to the relevant authorities in support of Owen's Law, demonstrating again the urgent need for Owen's Law to be implemented as soon as possible.

Where does this leave hypersensitivity sufferers today?

Although these developments show an encouraging trend in awareness and action taken around allergen safety, the reality is that there is still a long way to go. Both Natasha's Law and Owen's Law were derived from tragic deaths of two young people, and their fate reflects much wider and ongoing devastation. Unfortunately, despite new measures being designed to prevent future tragedies, the danger and fear for allergy sufferers is still very real. Our recent survey found that 75% of people are concerned about complacency around food allergies.

The reality for an allergy sufferer eating out

Everyone should be able to feel safe and included when eating out. Unfortunately, however, allergy sufferers still feel that not all restaurants cater to them, which can lead to fear and anxiety.

We spoke with an allergy sufferer to discuss their experiences and understand the realities of eating out with a hypersensitivity:

“In 2009, I ordered a burger and chips from a gastro pub in London. Less than an hour later I was in A&E unable to breathe. I thought it was an asthma attack, but hospital staff told me I was suffering from a major allergic reaction. I was lucky enough to recover after being flushed out with steroids, fluids and treatment to calm my heart rate and was discharged the next day, however I felt very wary about eating anything for a few weeks.

It can be incredibly nerve wracking, especially somewhere new so I'll check review sites and see if there are any positive reviews about how the restaurant has dealt with allergies in the past.

Every time I mention my allergy, you never know if it will be taken seriously by the person taking the order or if the message is even delivered to the kitchen. If I'm in a group, I used to feel really awkward having to flag it as sometimes people (even those you are out with) just think you're making a fuss over nothing and it's not that serious.”

Laura Pattison

Allergy sufferer

Regrettably, Laura is not alone in this experience. From our findings, 1 in 2 people think those with allergies are often perceived as fussy or overstating their condition, showing there is still a lack of awareness around the potential severe outcomes of hypersensitivities.

Ultimately, lives are at risk if allergies are not addressed properly, so it's imperative they are taken seriously. Businesses should understand why building awareness of allergens is necessary, and aim to be fully transparent and inclusive.