A clear, colour-coded wall poster showing every allergen you must declare under UK food law. Print it, put it on the wall, and give your team an instant reference at the moments allergens matter most.
At a glance
What it is
A free A4 poster listing the 14 allergenic ingredients that must be declared by UK food law, each with a colour-coded icon.
Who it's for
Commercial kitchens, cafes, restaurants, takeaways, pubs, schools, care homes and any UK food business.
Why it helps
Gives staff a fast visual reference, supports allergen awareness and training, and reinforces good practice under Natasha's Law.
Where to use it
Prep areas, goods-in and storage, front of house, and staff/training spaces.
It's a single-page reference that shows all fourteen food allergens that, by UK law, must be declared when present in food. Each allergen has its own colour and icon so the information reads at a glance — useful in a busy kitchen where no one has time to read a paragraph mid-service.
The fourteen allergens are: celery, cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, lupin, milk, molluscs, mustard, peanuts, sesame, soya, sulphur dioxide and sulphites, and tree nuts. This list is set by assimilated Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 (the Food Information Regulations) and is the same fourteen every UK food business must account for.
Why it matters
Getting allergens wrong is one of the most serious mistakes a food business can make — for some customers a single hidden ingredient is life-threatening. Since October 2021, Natasha's Law has required all prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) food — think sandwiches, salads and cakes made and packed on site — to carry a full ingredients list with the 14 allergens emphasised. For food sold loose or to order, businesses must still provide accurate allergen information by some means.
A wall poster won't make you compliant on its own — what it does do is keep the fourteen allergens visible and front-of-mind for support staff inductions and training, and act as a prompt during the moments that matter: prepping a dish, restocking a shelf, answering a customer who asks "does this contain nuts?"
Test yourself: do you know the 14?
Knowing the list is the difference between a confident answer at the counter and a dangerous guess. Tap the foods below that you think must be declared by law — the catch is spotting the ones that aren't on the list.
Spot the 14: which foods must be declared?
Fourteen of these are legally declarable allergens in the UK. The rest are not. Tap the ones you think make the list, then check your answer.
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Please note: This is simply a learning aid, not a compliance check. Based on the FSAs 14 named allergenic ingredients.
Where to display it
The poster earns its place when it's visible exactly where allergen decisions get made. Put a copy in each of these zones rather than relying on a single one by the door.
Food preparation areas — at eye level near prep benches and the pass, where dishes are assembled and cross-contamination risk is highest.
Goods-in and storage — near deliveries and dry/cold storage, so staff cross-check allergens against ingredient labels as stock arrives.
Front of house and tills — where orders are taken, so staff can reference the 14 allergens when customers ask.
Staff and training areas — on the staff-room or training board to reinforce learning and support new-starter induction.
How to get the most from it
Print in colour. The colour coding is the whole point — a greyscale print loses the at-a-glance benefit.
Laminate it so it survives steam, splashes and regular wipe-downs.
Go bigger in busy kitchens. Enlarge to A3 at a print shop if staff need to view it from a distance.
Pair it with training. A poster supports knowledge; it doesn't replace proper allergen training and an allergen matrix for your actual menu.
Keep it current. Replace faded or splattered copies — a poster no one can read isn't doing its job.
Frequently asked questions
What are the 14 allergens?
Celery, cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, lupin, milk, molluscs, mustard, peanuts, sesame, soya, sulphur dioxide and sulphites, and tree nuts. The poster shows all fourteen with a clear icon for each.
Is the poster really free?
Yes — it's a free, printable PDF. There's no sign-up and no cost. We make it available as part of our free food safety resources.
Does displaying the poster make my business compliant?
No. The poster is an awareness and training aid, not a substitute for your legal duties. You must still provide accurate allergen information for the food you sell, label PPDS food with a full ingredients list under Natasha's Law, train your staff, and run proper allergen management procedures.
What size is it and how should I print it?
It's a print-ready A4 PDF. Enlarge to A3 for high-traffic kitchens, print in colour so the icons stay distinct, and laminate it to survive the kitchen environment.
Can I put it in a school, care home or village hall kitchen?
Yes. The fourteen allergens are the same for any setting that provides food to the public, so the poster suits schools, care homes, community kitchens, pubs, cafes and takeaways alike.
Ready to go further than a poster?
A poster keeps the 14 allergens visible — but real protection comes from a team that understands how to manage them. Our accredited, EHO-approved online allergy courses cover not just what the allergens are, but how to control them safely day to day. Both give an instant certificate and carry Qualifi and CPD accreditation.
Level 2 · For all food handlers
Allergy Awareness Training
Ideal for food handlers, front-of-house and care staff. Covers allergenic ingredients, their effect on the body, and how to minimise the risks. Available in catering, early years and schools versions.
Built for head chefs, kitchen managers, supervisors and food business operators. Covers allergen legislation including Natasha's Law, risk assessment, HACCP control points, supplier checks and audit readiness.
Not sure which level fits? Level 2 suits anyone handling food; Level 3 is for the person responsible for allergen procedures across the kitchen or business.
Get the free poster
Download, print and display it across your kitchen today. No sign-up, no cost.
Free 14 allergens poster for UK kitchens — print it and put it where allergen decisions get made. No sign-up: https://www.thesaferfoodgroup.com/food-allergens.php
About the author
PG
Paul Grantham
Food Safety Trainer, Educator & Consultant
Paul is a food safety trainer, educator and consultant with over 15 years' experience helping food businesses work safely. He lectures at university level and spent decades working across the hospitality and retail sectors before moving into training, giving him a practical, floor-level understanding of the pressures real kitchens and food businesses face. Much of his consultancy work centres on food safety auditing and management system design, and he has worked with everyone from independent operators to large-scale, multi-site organisations across a wide range of sectors. That blend of hands-on industry experience, academic teaching and system-level expertise shapes resources and training that make sense to food handlers and business owners alike.
