LabelLogic Live
Planglow Account Login
Allergen labelling for school caterers
Aug 20, 2026
Owen's Law for School Catering Teams
If you're involved in school catering, it's worth understanding the rules that already apply, the FSA's latest best-practice guidance and what could change if Owen's Law becomes law.
Need a refresher on allergen management in schools? Our Allergen Labelling for Schools and Caterers Guide is packed with practical advice and best-practice guidance.
The current legal position for schools
School caterers, whether managed by the school, a local authority, an academy trust, or a contracted catering provider, already have legal responsibilities for allergen management. The Food Information Regulations 2014 require food businesses, including schools serving food, to provide allergen information for the food they serve. This includes information about the 14 regulated allergens.
Right now, that information can be provided verbally or in writing, including on a menu, provided customers are clearly told how and where they can obtain the information. Many schools meet this requirement informally via a folder in the kitchen, a briefing to catering staff, or offering “information available on request”, rather than through a written system pupils, parents, or staff can check themselves.
Schools also have separate duties around prepacked-for-direct-sale (PPDS) food, such as sandwiches sold at a canteen counter, which have required full ingredient labelling since October 2021 under Natasha's Law. Natasha’s Law already requires written allergen labelling for PPDS foods. Owen’s Law would represent a potential change for non-prepacked food, such as meals served from a school kitchen or canteen.
What would change under Owen's Law
The Owen's Law campaign calls for written allergen information to be mandatory rather than optional. If legislation were introduced along these lines, it could affect schools serving non-prepacked food.
Following the campaign for Owen’s Law, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has strengthened its best-practice guidance for providing allergen information for non-prepacked food.
The minimum legal requirement has not changed. Food businesses, including those operating in schools, must provide information about the 14 regulated allergens. This information can be provided verbally, provided customers are clearly told how and where they can obtain it.
The FSA’s best-practice guidance recommends making written allergen information available without customers having to ask, where possible. However, the FSA has confirmed to Planglow that the guidance is primarily intended for food businesses such as cafés, takeaways, restaurants and deli counters and recognises that different approaches may be appropriate in school settings.
Schools often have additional safeguards in place to manage allergies, intolerances and coeliac disease, and the appropriate approach will depend on factors such as how meals are ordered and served, who is making the food choice and what other allergy management measures are in place.
What schools can do now
Although Owen's Law has not yet become legislation, allergen awareness and preparedness are becoming an increasing priority for schools through developments such as Benedict's Law. Now is a good time to review your allergen management processes. There’s no need to wait - moving to a written, centrally managed allergen system now means:
- Parents and pupils can check allergen information for dishes without needing to ask staff directly.
- Catering teams across multiple sites are working from the same accurate information.
- Menu changes and ingredient substitutions are reflected consistently, reducing the risk of a member of staff passing on out-of-date information.
- Catering managers have a clear audit trail showing how allergen information has been created and maintained.
For schools and caterers looking to move towards a more robust written allergen system, Planglow’s award-winning LabelLogic Live provides a central way to manage ingredient, allergen, and nutritional information across menus, kitchens, and multiple school sites. It's subscription-based labelling software with no specialist hardware or complex setup required - just the app and a box of labels. The software helps keep ingredient, allergen, and nutritional information consistent, accurate and up to date across menus, kitchens and multiple school sites, making it easier to manage catering at scale.
Next steps
- Book a consultation with one of our experts here.
- Find out more about LabelLogic Live for schools and multi-site caterers.
- Read our related blog on Owen's Law: Allergens on Restaurant Menus.
FAQs on Owen’s Law for Schools
Does Owen’s Law apply to schools?
Owen's Law is not currently legislation, so it does not impose a new legal requirement on schools.The minimum legal requirement has not changed. Food businesses, including those operating in schools, must provide information about the 14 regulated allergens. This information can be provided verbally, provided customers are clearly told how and where they can obtain it.
The FSA’s best-practice guidance recommends making written allergen information available without customers having to ask, where possible. The guidance is primarily intended for cafés, takeaways, restaurants and deli counters and so different approaches may be appropriate in school settings.
Schools may have additional safeguards in place to manage allergies, intolerances and coeliac disease. Therefore the appropriate approach will depend on factors such as how meals are ordered and served, who is making the food choice and what other allergy management measures are in place.
Does Owen’s Law apply across the UK?
Owen’s Law is a campaign for mandatory written allergen information in food businesses, but any future legislation would need to be introduced by the relevant government. Food regulation is devolved across the UK, so requirements could differ between England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. For schools and caterers, it is important to keep up to date with the requirements that apply in the nation where they operate.
Do schools have to provide allergen information now?
Yes. Under the Food Information Regulations 2014, schools and catering providers must be able to provide allergen information for the food they serve. This can currently be communicated in different ways, including verbally or in writing.
With the introduction of Benedict’s Law in England, allergen awareness and preparedness are also becoming an increasingly important part of school food safety. While Benedict’s Law does not replace existing allergen information requirements, it reinforces the need for schools to have robust allergen management processes in place.
Does Natasha’s Law apply to school canteens?
Yes, for prepacked-for-direct-sale foods such as sandwiches or grab-and-go items prepared and packaged on site.
Will Owen’s Law replace Natasha’s Law?
No. They address different areas. Natasha’s Law covers allergen labelling on certain prepacked foods, while Owen’s Law proposes written allergen information for non-prepacked food.
What is the link between Owen’s Law and Benedict’s Law?
Owen’s Law and Benedict’s Law are separate proposals. Owen’s Law focuses on written allergen information for food businesses, while Benedict’s Law focuses on allergy safety measures in schools in England. Both reflect the increasing focus on improving allergy management and reducing risk.
How can schools prepare for possible changes?
By introducing a consistent written allergen management system now, including accurate recipes, ingredient records, and accessible allergen information.
