Glossary

Two percent rule

The two percent rule is about whether you must list the components of a compound ingredient that is under 2% of the finished food. It is not an allergen exemption. Allergens inside that ingredient still have to appear, emphasised, in the ingredients list.

Reviewed 23 September 2026 against official guidance.SourcesNot legal advice.

In practice

Chocolate, spice mixes, stock and sauces are compound ingredients. If one of them is a tiny part of the recipe, food information rules sometimes allow a shorter breakdown. The 14 allergens do not disappear with that shorter breakdown.

If you are unsure whether the exemption applies, break the ingredient out. A full list that shows soya lecithin or celery is safer than a short list that hides them. The FSA technical guidance is the reference for the detail.

Questions

Can I hide mustard because the mayonnaise is under 2%?

No. Mustard still has to be emphasised if it is an ingredient.

Does the rule apply to the name of the food?

No. It is about the breakdown of compound ingredients, not about whether you can omit the product name.

Official sources

Everything on this page traces back to these. Where they and we disagree, they are right — tell us and we'll fix it.

Introduction to allergen labelling for PPDS foodFood Standards Agency / GOV.UK
Labelling guidance for prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) food productsFood Standards Agency / GOV.UK