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Guide

Butcher counter PPDS labelling

Butchers packing sausages, burgers, marinated meats or ready meals before customers select them need PPDS labels with the name of the food and full ingredients — including allergens in glazes, rusk, sausages and sauces. Fresh meat cut and wrapped to order after the customer asks is usually a different information route.

Reviewed against official guidance.SourcesNot legal advice.

What is usually PPDS in a butchery

  • Trays of sausages sealed for the fridge
  • Marinated kebab skewers packed in the morning
  • Ready meals and pies made on site and packed for sale

Cut to order

Steak cut and wrapped after the customer chooses typically is not PPDS. Seasonings added in view of the customer still need honest allergen communication if they contain cereals, soya or sulphites.

Butcher traps

  • Rusk and fillers (cereals containing gluten)
  • Sulphites in sausages and burgers
  • Soy in marinades and sticky glazes
  • Mustard and celery in seasonings and stocks

FSA sector guide

Use the FSA PPDS materials for butchers — they match counter language and products.

Questions

Do I need QUID and PPDS ingredients?
Meat products often trigger QUID and other particulars. PPDS allergen ingredients duties still apply when the pack is PPDS — meet all that apply.
Are vacuum packs from my own kitchen PPDS?
If sold by you from the same premises after packing before selection, yes — label them.

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.

Read next

Butchers industry guide

Sausages, marinades and counter workflow.

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