Companies do not properly disclose allergen information in unpackaged foods

In the Netherlands, half a million people have a food allergy. For some of them, this has a major impact; in the most serious case, they may even die after exposure to an allergen. Entrepreneurs are obliged to provide allergen information even with unpackaged food, but in practice this regularly goes wrong.

More than half of entrepreneurs went wrong

In 2023, the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) inspected 6548 businesses in the hospitality, craft, retail and institutional sectors. The purpose of these inspections was to check whether they complied with the regulations for unpackaged foods. In doing so, it was found that over half of the businesses did not provide the information, or did not do so correctly. The most common (and most serious) error was the complete omission of allergen information; 30.7% of the companies inspected were guilty of this. In addition, in 16.5% of cases, the information was available orally but not in writing or digitally. Finally, 12.3% of establishments lacked the trigger for consumers to ask staff for allergen information.

Hospitality industry the biggest culprit

The error rate was highest in the hospitality industry, where the percentage of discrepancies was 51.8%. In retail and craft businesses, inspectors found errors in slightly less than half of the businesses, 46.0% and 44.8% respectively. In healthcare facilities, the percentage was much lower at 28.6%. When an error is found, the NVWA issues warnings or fines. Despite these measures, one in 10 of the companies checked in 2023 still did not have the allergen information in order.

Written or oral statement of allergens

What about allergens again? On prepackaged foods, allergens must be listed in the ingredient list, but unpackaged foods often lack them. First, the place of sale must clearly indicate where allergen information is available, and always in close proximity to the food. The information may be available in writing or electronically, but must always be freely accessible, understandable and clearly legible. If there really are no other options, the information may also be given orally. A prerequisite is that the information can always be communicated to the consumer before the purchase is made. In addition, the information must always be available to staff and inspectors. Finally, a notice must be visible at the point of purchase, asking consumers to contact staff.

Need support or training?

Can we support you in managing or communicating allergens in your business? Or do you have questions about this? We are ready to help you and together ensure a safe and allergy-friendly environment in your company! Contact us at info@precongroup.com, NL +31 (0)30 65 66 010 or BE +32 (0)11 26 99 07.

Your staff training on allergens? Then follow our e-learning "dealing with allergens.