What Are the Legal Requirements for Food Packaging (UK)?
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By:
Joe Sizeland
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If you run a café, takeaway, bakery or food stall, your packaging needs to do more than make the right impression with customers. For packaged food products, there are also legal responsibilities to consider - including how you label ingredients, display the net quantity declaration and communicate information about food allergies. These rules will vary depending on what you sell and how you sell it.
In this guide, the team at iKrafts sets out the essential labelling and food contact requirements for packaging in the UK, helping you choose options that are safe, compliant and right for your products.
If you sell food products to the public - whether on-site, online or for takeaway - you are legally classed as a food business operator. This means you are responsible for making sure any food you sell complies with labelling and packaging requirements. That includes everything from ingredient declarations and contact material safety to making sure the correct business details are present.
Local authorities are responsible for enforcing packaging and labelling rules across Great Britain, while the Food Standards Agency (FSA) oversees broader food safety regulation. In Northern Ireland, food packaging and labelling must still comply with certain EU requirements due to the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Several laws and regulations apply to packaged food products sold in the UK. These rules exist to protect consumers, promote food safety and make sure packaging is labelled in such a way that buyers can make informed choices. The main pieces of legislation include:
This regulation sets out the labelling rules that most cafés, takeaways, bakeries and food stalls must follow when selling packaged food products. It establishes how food labelling on packaging should be handled in the UK. It covers how nutritional information must be displayed, what counts as mandatory information and how allergenic ingredients should be emphasised. It also clarifies what must appear on both the website and physical label when selling prepacked food products online.
Still applicable in Great Britain after Brexit, this regulation requires clear, accurate and legible food information on all prepacked product labelling. It also outlines how origin labelling, the name of the food, net quantity declarations and ingredient lists must be presented, with a minimum font size to guarantee visibility.
This regulation focuses specifically on plastic food contact materials, including rules around migration testing and material safety. It defines the overall and specific migration limits for substances that may transfer from such packaging into food, setting safety standards for plastic trays, containers and other direct-contact items.
If your business sells food that is fully or partially prepacked (such as baked goods boxed in advance or cold meals prepared to grab and go), there are specific food labelling regulations you must meet. These rules apply whether you sell food in-store, via delivery or at an event.
Since the introduction of Natasha’s Law in 2021, businesses must provide full ingredient and allergen labelling on prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) foods. This includes food prepared and packed on the same site as it’s sold - such as sandwiches, cakes or boxed salads.
All 14 recognised allergens must be clearly emphasised within the ingredients list. You cannot rely on separate signage or verbal information for PPDS items.
If you’re selling non-prepacked food (e.g. cakes from a counter display, or meals made to order), you are not required to print full labels. However, you must still provide allergen information to customers in writing. This could be through a visible sign telling customers to ask, or through menus and printed guides. The information must be accurate, easy to access and always up to date.
Food business operators are legally responsible for making sure their packaging complies with UK regulations - but you don’t have to shoulder that alone. By choosing a trusted UK supplier like iKrafts, you can be confident that your containers, trays, tubs and wraps are suitable for food use and comply with the law. Browse the iKrafts food packaging range , or get in touch to speak to our team about your specific needs.
