Guide
How to label nut-free claims on PPDS packs
Only claim nut-free when your product and process support it. Still print a full ingredients list. Peanuts and tree nuts are different — be precise about what you mean.
Reviewed against official guidance.SourcesNot legal advice.
The short answer
Only claim nut-free when your product and process support it. Still print a full ingredients list. Peanuts and tree nuts are different — be precise about what you mean.
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
Only claim nut-free when your product and process support it. Still print a full ingredients list. Peanuts and tree nuts are different — be precise about what you mean. 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: Cashews are tree nuts.
- Ingredients list first
- Claims second and only if true
- Peanuts ≠ tree nuts
- Control shared equipment if you claim free-from
Worked example
Worked example for “How to label nut-free claims on PPDS packs”: take one real SKU you sell this week. Apply the first check — ingredients list first. Then contrast it with claims second and only if true. 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. (Only claim nut-free when your product and process support it.)
Checklist before you print
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Ingredients list first | For “How to label nut-free claims on PPDS packs”, “Ingredients list first” is the check that stops the pack drifting from what you actually sell. |
| Claims second and only if true | For “How to label nut-free claims on PPDS packs”, “Claims second and only if true” is the check that stops the pack drifting from what you actually sell. |
| Peanuts ≠ tree nuts | For “How to label nut-free claims on PPDS packs”, “Peanuts ≠ tree nuts” is the check that stops the pack drifting from what you actually sell. |
| Control shared equipment if you claim free-from | For “How to label nut-free claims on PPDS packs”, “Control shared equipment if you claim free-from” is the check that stops the pack drifting from what you actually sell. |
Saying nut-free while using pesto with cashews
Cashews are tree nuts.
Go deeper
Next: Peanuts on food labels. Separate from tree nuts. Then paste your ingredients into the free generator and confirm allergens before you print.
Questions
Can I claim nut-free if I only avoid peanuts?
Does may contain nuts block a nut-free claim?
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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