Allergens in restaurants: what the law requires and how to organise
A restaurant must tell its guests about 14 allergens in its dishes, even when nothing is packaged. It’s a legal duty and, above all, a safety issue: a mistake can send a guest to hospital. Here is what the rules say, and how to organise the information so it stays accurate.
What the law says
EU Regulation No 1169/2011 (food information to consumers) requires consumers to be informed about allergens in food, including food that isn’t prepacked: dishes served in the dining room, taken away or delivered.
In France, the information must be given in writing, legibly and accessibly to the guest on site, before they order: on the menu, on a display or in a document they can freely consult. Spoken information alone is not enough.
For remote sales, click & collect or delivery, the information must be available before purchase and at handover.
The 14 allergens to declare
- Cereals containing gluten (wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt, kamut)
- Crustaceans
- Eggs
- Fish
- Peanuts
- Soybeans
- Milk, including lactose
- Tree nuts: almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, Brazil nuts, pistachios, macadamia nuts
- Celery
- Mustard
- Sesame seeds
- Sulphur dioxide and sulphites, above 10 mg/kg or 10 mg/L
- Lupin
- Molluscs
Common pitfalls
- Sub-recipes: a stock, a sauce, a pastry or breadcrumbs bring allergens that are easy to miss when looking at the finished dish.
- Supplier changes: the same product can change composition from one brand to another.
- The dish of the day: prepared quickly, it often escapes the allergen sheet.
- Shared fryers and utensils: frying oil used for fish or breaded products passes on their allergens.
- Translations: a hand-translated menu can lose an allergen mention.
The “may contain traces” statement isn’t required by the regulation. If you use it, it must reflect a real contamination risk. The “gluten-free” claim, on the other hand, is regulated: under 20 mg of gluten per kilo.
A simple method to stay up to date
- Keep one sheet per dish, with its ingredients and sub-recipes.
- Review the sheet whenever a recipe or supplier changes, and for every dish of the day.
- Show the same information everywhere: printed menu, online menu, kiosk, ticket.
- Train the floor team: where to find the information and what to do when a guest reports an allergy.
- Translate the menu with its allergens, for international guests.
Frequently asked questions
Is “ask your waiter” enough?
No. In France, allergen information must be written and available to the guest before they order. The waiter can add to it, not replace it.
Who checks?
French consumer-protection inspectors (DGCCRF and their local offices) during their restaurant inspections.
Do I have to mention traces?
The regulation doesn’t require it. If you do, the statement must match a real risk of cross-contamination in your kitchen.
What about delivery and takeaway?
The information must be available before purchase, for example on the ordering website, and when the order is handed over.
This guide provides general information. It doesn’t replace advice from your accountant or a lawyer.