Guide
Do sushi bars need PPDS labels?
Platter sushi assembled to order usually follows loose-food allergen rules. Sealed sushi boxes packed before customers choose them are typically PPDS and need name plus full ingredients with allergens emphasised — watch fish, crustaceans, soya, sesame and wheat.
Reviewed against official guidance.SourcesNot legal advice.
The short answer
Platter sushi assembled to order usually follows loose-food allergen rules. Sealed sushi boxes packed before customers choose them are typically PPDS and need name plus full ingredients with allergens emphasised — watch fish, crustaceans, soya, sesame and wheat.
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
Platter sushi assembled to order usually follows loose-food allergen rules. Sealed sushi boxes packed before customers choose them are typically PPDS and need name plus full ingredients with allergens emphasised — watch fish, crustaceans, soya, sesame and wheat. 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: Different sets contain different allergens. Match the label to the box.
- Sealed lunch boxes packed ahead = usually PPDS
- Made to order at the counter = usually not PPDS
- Soy sauce, fish and sesame are common traps
- Imitation crab can bring crustaceans or fish depending on the product
Worked example
Worked example for “Do sushi bars need PPDS labels?”: take one real SKU you sell this week. Apply the first check — sealed lunch boxes packed ahead = usually PPDS. Then contrast it with made to order at the counter = 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. (Platter sushi assembled to order usually follows loose-food allergen rules.)
Checklist before you print
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Sealed lunch boxes packed ahead = usually PPDS | For “Do sushi bars need PPDS labels?”, “Sealed lunch boxes packed ahead = usually PPDS” is the check that stops the pack drifting from what you actually sell. |
| Made to order at the counter = usually not PPDS | For “Do sushi bars need PPDS labels?”, “Made to order at the counter = usually not PPDS” is the check that stops the pack drifting from what you actually sell. |
| Soy sauce, fish and sesame are common traps | For “Do sushi bars need PPDS labels?”, “Soy sauce, fish and sesame are common traps” is the check that stops the pack drifting from what you actually sell. |
| Imitation crab can bring crustaceans or fish depending on the product | For “Do sushi bars need PPDS labels?”, “Imitation crab can bring crustaceans or fish depending on the product” is the check that stops the pack drifting from what you actually sell. |
Labelling only “fish” for every set
Different sets contain different allergens. Match the label to the box.
Go deeper
Next: Fish on food labels. Anchovy, fish sauce and seafood traps. Then paste your ingredients into the free generator and confirm allergens before you print.
Questions
Does wasabi need emphasising?
What about seaweed salad pots?
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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