What to include in your website allergy policy 

Written by Melissa Thompson, Safer Food Scores

Choosing where to eat out when you have food allergies is a serious business.

One way customers can gain reassurance is to check if a venue has been awarded AllergyWise® accreditation by Anaphylaxis UK, which demonstrates a commitment to allergy management. Another way is to check a venue’s website allergy policy. Sadly, too few companies share online the steps that they take to help those with food allergies have a safe and enjoyable experience. This is a shame as the information can be invaluable to reduce customer stress levels leading up to the event. It also makes commercial sense as those with food allergies are often the key decision makers when choosing where a group eats out and are passionate about sharing with their community when they find a venue that is committed to allergy safety. 

So, what to include? No-one needs to see all your front of house and back of house standard operating procedures, but customers with food allergies need to know what to expect during their visit, and what you will expect from them in order to protect their health.  

Here is an example of key inclusions in an allergy policy used by a responsible venue that clearly cares about their customers’ health and safety, that understands how serious food allergies are, and that eating out can sometimes be stressful. 

Communication 

Booking: Let the person booking the table or event know about your allergies or dietary restrictions. Make sure they pass this information onto us.  

Inform us: When you arrive, tell us about your food allergies or dietary restrictions before ordering or taking any food or drink offered. This allows us to take extra precautions. 

Events: Once you arrive, one of our Allergy Leads will discuss your allergies or dietary restrictions with you, and introduce you to your main contact for the event. 

Menu information: We have details of the 14 common allergens in our food and drinks. Ingredients can change, so always ask each time you visit.  

Re-assurance: If you are allergic to other foods or want to discuss menu options in advance, e-mail or call the us directly to speak to one of our Allergy Leads. 

Staff training 

Awareness: Our team knows about allergy safety and the steps to take if someone has allergies or dietary restrictions. 

Education: Our Allergy Leads get enhanced training on food allergies and safe food handling. 

Ingredient transparency 

Sourcing: We obtain ingredients from trusted suppliers with detailed allergen information. We avoid ingredients with ‘may contain’ warnings when possible. 

Substitutions: We try to offer alternatives for allergies or dietary restrictions. Talk to your server about your options. 

Cross-contact 

Separate preparation: We have designated areas for preparing meals for guests with allergies. Our kitchen staff follow strict protocols including extra hand washing and thorough cleaning of surfaces and equipment. 

Kitchen practices: We take steps to prevent cross-contact, but we handle many allergens in our busy kitchens, so unfortunately cannot guarantee any dish is completely allergen-free. 

Vegan options: Not all vegan options will be suitable for those with milk, egg, fish, crustacean and mollusc allergies. Please ask before ordering. 

Emergency response 

Preparedness: Please ensure that you bring your emergency medication, e.g. two adrenaline auto-injectors, just in case something goes wrong.  

Medical assistance: Our staff are trained to handle allergic reactions, and we have first aiders on site. 

Guest responsibility 

Vigilance:  We want to make your experience a great one, so please be cautious and clearly communicate your needs. 

Verification: Check with your server, or ask to speak to an Allergy Lead, if you have any concerns about ingredients or preparation methods. 

Continual improvement 

Incidents and near misses:  We thoroughly investigate if things go wrong and put in place any necessary controls to prevent it happening again. 

Caring culture: We have an Allergy Committee made up of buyers, menu developers, allergen information collators, bookers, chefs, servers, managers and people with allergies. They meet regularly to discuss how well we are meeting your needs and if there are ways that we can further reduce your risks. 

AllergyWise® Improvement Programme 

Anaphylaxis UK is working in partnership with Safer Food Scores and Serve Legal to support Business Plus members to manage allergens effectively and to demonstrate commitment to safety whilst enhancing customer trust.  A range of allergen risk management services are offered including: 

• Quarterly 30-minute online forums to support your teams 

• Annual allergen management health check 

• Quarterly business forums to share with likeminded peers 

• Allergen training courses tailored to your teams’ needs 

• Advice on compliance with allergen legislation and best practice 

• In-depth brand-wide allergen management reviews 

• Customer experience audits to assess allergen communication and service standards 

• AllergyWise® accreditation 

Please contact us if you would like to find out more.