Food Allergy Signs for Cafés and Restaurants — What the Law Requires and What Works in Practice

A food allergy sign does not meet UK allergen law on its own. For food prepared to order, you must make allergen information available to customers, verbally or in writing, and the Food Standards Agency's March 2025 guidance says an "ask a member of staff" sign by itself is not sufficient. A sign is the front-of-house prompt that sits alongside written allergen information and trained staff.

This guide covers what the rules say for cafés, restaurants, pubs, bakeries and caterers, where a sign fits, and which format suits which setting. It is a summary, not legal advice: check the Food Standards Agency guidance or your local Environmental Health Officer for your own business.

What UK food allergy law requires

Food businesses must be able to tell customers which of the 14 major allergens are in the food they sell: celery, cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, lupin, milk, molluscs, mustard, peanuts, sesame, soybeans, sulphur dioxide and sulphites, and tree nuts. How that information is given depends on how the food is sold.

Non-prepacked food — most café and restaurant food, prepared and served to order. Allergen information must be available to the customer, verbally or in writing. In March 2025 the Food Standards Agency published updated best-practice guidance for England, Wales and Northern Ireland recommending that written allergen information is always available, so customers do not have to ask for it. On that guidance, an "ask a member of staff" sign on its own is not considered sufficient.

Prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) food — food packaged on the premises before the customer selects it, such as sandwiches made up in the morning and sold from a display. This is where Natasha's Law applies: since 1 October 2021 the packaging must carry the name of the food and a full ingredients list with the 14 allergens emphasised. Natasha's Law is about labels on the food, not about signs. Our guides to Natasha's Law and UK food allergen rules and the Natasha's Law checklist cover it in full.

What a food allergy sign is for

A sign tells customers with allergies or intolerances, before they order, that allergen information exists and where to get it. It works best as one part of a set: written allergen information that is easy to find (an allergen matrix, menu annotations or a folder at the counter), staff who are trained to answer allergen questions accurately, and a visible sign at the point of order.

The wording is simple: a question or statement about food allergies or intolerances, followed by a prompt to ask staff or check the allergen information. Our signs are engraved with standard allergy wording, and you can enter your own wording in the personalisation box on every product, for example to point customers to a printed allergen folder or a menu.

Format and placement

Visibility matters more than size. A large sign behind the counter or hidden by menus does less than a smaller one at the point of order or on every table. Customers with allergies look for this information as they approach or sit down.

Freestanding signs suit most hospitality settings. They move between a till, a table, a buffet or an event without any fixings. Ours stand on a removable base in two sizes: Standard 74 × 112mm and Large 115 × 168mm.

Double-sided signs earn their place on islands and tables. If customers approach from both directions, a double-sided sign is readable from either side.

Your logo keeps it in your brand. A sign with your logo engraved beside the wording sits within your décor rather than looking like a generic notice.

Which format suits which setting

Cafés and coffee shops with counter service suit a freestanding sign at the till. Standard 74 × 112mm is enough for most counters; Large 115 × 168mm carries further across a wider service area.

Restaurants with table service often use one sign per table, or a larger display at the host stand. Double-sided signs let every diner read the notice wherever they sit.

Pubs and bars usually need a sign at the bar, at any table service point and near the food menu. A hanging sign suits a kitchen hatch or the wall above a food service counter.

Caterers and events need signage that travels with the setup. A freestanding sign with a removable base packs flat and can stand wherever food is served. For cake tables and dessert displays, the wedding cake food allergy sign is made in the same oak veneered MDF.

Bakeries and market stalls suit an A5 or A4 sign with an optional stand, which reads from a short distance across a stall or display. Remember that prepacked-for-direct-sale items also need full labels on the packaging.

Wooden or printed card

Most food businesses start with a printed card or laminated sheet. That works as a stop-gap, but card marks quickly in a food environment from grease, condensation and daily handling. Our signs are laser-engraved into FSC-certified 4mm oak veneered MDF rather than printed, so the wording does not fade, peel or smear, and the surface wipes clean with a damp cloth. They are for indoor use only.

Our food allergy sign range

Every sign is made to order in our workshop in North Wales. Bulk discounts apply automatically at checkout: 20 of the same product 10%, 50 15%, 100 20%, 250 25%, 500 30% and 1,000 35%, with no code needed.

• Freestanding food allergy sign — Standard and Large, no logo
• Freestanding food allergy sign with your logo — Standard and Large
• A4 and A5 food allergy sign with optional stand — no logo
• A4 and A5 food allergy sign with optional stand — with your logo
• Hanging food allergy sign — four sizes, portrait format
• Hanging food allergy sign with your logo — four sizes
• Wedding cake food allergy sign — for cake tables and catered events

Browse the full food allergy signs collection. For tables, see wooden table signs.

All items are made to order. Dispatch time is shown at checkout. UK orders via Royal Mail Tracked 24. International via Royal Mail International Tracked.

Frequently asked questions

Does a food allergy sign meet UK allergen law on its own?
No. For food prepared to order, allergen information must be available to customers, verbally or in writing, and the Food Standards Agency's March 2025 best-practice guidance recommends that written allergen information is always available. A sign is the prompt that sends customers to that information and to your staff; it does not replace either.

Does Natasha's Law mean I must display a food allergy sign?
No. Natasha's Law (1 October 2021) covers labelling on prepacked-for-direct-sale food: a full ingredients list with the 14 allergens emphasised on the packaging. It does not set a signage requirement. See our plain-English guide to Natasha's Law for the detail.

Which format should a café or restaurant choose?
A freestanding sign suits a counter, till or table. An A4 or A5 sign with a stand suits a service counter or bakery display. A hanging sign suits a wall or kitchen hatch where a freestanding sign is not practical. Single-sided suits a till approached from one direction; double-sided suits an island counter, buffet or table read from both sides.

Can I add my own wording or my logo?
Yes. Every sign has a personalisation box for your own wording, and the logo versions have a logo upload button. Logos can be colour or black and white — we will convert colour logos for engraving. Proofs are not standard — ask in the personalisation box if you would like one.

Can I order signs for several sites?
Yes. Choose a logo version, upload your logo once and add any site-specific wording in the personalisation box. Bulk discounts apply automatically at checkout from 20 of the same product, with no code needed.

This guide summarises current Food Standards Agency guidance and is not legal advice. Always refer to the FSA and your local Environmental Health Officer for guidance specific to your business.