Guide
How to label alcohol in food for PPDS
If wine, beer or spirits are ingredients of PPDS food, list them. Sulphites from wine and barley or wheat from beer can bring Annex II allergens that need emphasis.
Reviewed against official guidance.SourcesNot legal advice.
The short answer
If wine, beer or spirits are ingredients of PPDS food, list them. Sulphites from wine and barley or wheat from beer can bring Annex II allergens that need emphasis.
Emphasise Annex II allergens inside the ingredients list — bold, capitals, colour or underline — as set out in FSA allergen labelling guidance.
How to apply it
If wine, beer or spirits are ingredients of PPDS food, list them. Sulphites from wine and barley or wheat from beer can bring Annex II allergens that need emphasis. Emphasise Annex II allergens inside the ingredients list — bold, capitals, colour or underline — as set out in FSA allergen labelling guidance. Walk the product in front of you against the checklist below before you print. The mistake to refuse is: Declare what you put in. Sulphites and cereals can remain relevant — follow specs and guidance.
- List the alcohol ingredient
- Check sulphites from wine
- Beer can bring barley or wheat
- Spirit flavourings still need honest naming
Worked example
Worked example for “How to label alcohol in food for PPDS”: take one real SKU you sell this week. Apply the first check — list the alcohol ingredient. Then contrast it with check sulphites from wine. 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. (If wine, beer or spirits are ingredients of PPDS food, list them.)
Checklist before you print
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| List the alcohol ingredient | For “How to label alcohol in food for PPDS”, “List the alcohol ingredient” is the check that stops the pack drifting from what you actually sell. |
| Check sulphites from wine | For “How to label alcohol in food for PPDS”, “Check sulphites from wine” is the check that stops the pack drifting from what you actually sell. |
| Beer can bring barley or wheat | For “How to label alcohol in food for PPDS”, “Beer can bring barley or wheat” is the check that stops the pack drifting from what you actually sell. |
| Spirit flavourings still need honest naming | For “How to label alcohol in food for PPDS”, “Spirit flavourings still need honest naming” is the check that stops the pack drifting from what you actually sell. |
Assuming alcohol burns off so allergens disappear
Declare what you put in. Sulphites and cereals can remain relevant — follow specs and guidance.
Go deeper
Next: Sulphites. Wine and dried fruit. Then paste your ingredients into the free generator and confirm allergens before you print.
Questions
Do I need ABV on a brownie?
What about rum soaked raisins?
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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