Guide
Do sandwich shops need PPDS labels?
Fridge sandwiches wrapped before customers choose them are usually PPDS. Sandwiches made to order at the counter after the customer asks typically are not — though allergen information must still be accurate and available.
Reviewed against official guidance.SourcesNot legal advice.
The short answer
Fridge sandwiches wrapped before customers choose them are usually PPDS. Sandwiches made to order at the counter after the customer asks typically are not — though allergen information must still be accurate and available.
Decide PPDS using the FSA packing-before-selection test, then put name and ingredients with allergen emphasis on packs that meet it.
How to apply it
Fridge sandwiches wrapped before customers choose them are usually PPDS. Sandwiches made to order at the counter after the customer asks typically are not — though allergen information must still be accurate and available. Decide PPDS using the FSA packing-before-selection test, then put name and ingredients with allergen emphasis on packs that meet it. Walk the product in front of you against the checklist below before you print. The mistake to refuse is: PPDS needs a full ingredients list with emphasis, not a symbol sheet alone.
- Morning wrap-and-stack for the fridge = usually PPDS
- Made to order after the ask = usually not PPDS
- Mayonnaise, pesto and bread are the common allergen traps
- Changing the filling means changing the label
Worked example
Worked example for “Do sandwich shops need PPDS labels?”: take one real SKU you sell this week. Apply the first check — morning wrap-and-stack for the fridge = usually PPDS. Then contrast it with made to order after the ask = usually not PPDS. Write the name of the food and the full ingredients list from today’s recipe and supplier specs, emphasise every Annex II allergen each time it appears, and only then print. If the pack in your hand does not match that list, it is not ready for sale. (Fridge sandwiches wrapped before customers choose them are usually PPDS.)
Checklist before you print
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Morning wrap-and-stack for the fridge = usually PPDS | For “Do sandwich shops need PPDS labels?”, “Morning wrap-and-stack for the fridge = usually PPDS” is the check that stops the pack drifting from what you actually sell. |
| Made to order after the ask = usually not PPDS | For “Do sandwich shops need PPDS labels?”, “Made to order after the ask = usually not PPDS” is the check that stops the pack drifting from what you actually sell. |
| Mayonnaise, pesto and bread are the common allergen traps | For “Do sandwich shops need PPDS labels?”, “Mayonnaise, pesto and bread are the common allergen traps” is the check that stops the pack drifting from what you actually sell. |
| Changing the filling means changing the label | For “Do sandwich shops need PPDS labels?”, “Changing the filling means changing the label” is the check that stops the pack drifting from what you actually sell. |
One generic “allergen sticker” on every wrap
PPDS needs a full ingredients list with emphasis, not a symbol sheet alone.
Go deeper
Next: Cafés industry guide. Sandwiches, pastry cabinets and breakfast packs. Then paste your ingredients into the free generator and confirm allergens before you print.
Questions
Do toasted sandwiches need labels?
What about meal deals?
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
- Food allergen labelling and information requirements technical guidanceFood Standards Agency / GOV.UK
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