As food businesses gear up for new EU Food Information Regulations, the British Hospitality Association estimates the cost of implementation to be up to £200 million per year, and is launching a guidance toolkit to help hotels, restaurants and caterers implement the new regulations and cope with requests for information.
In time for the Christmas party season 2014, every restaurant, hotel, pub, take away, motorway service station, café owner and festival caterer, as well as schools, hospitals and prison meals services, will have to accurately track, record and communicate to the public what menu items contain any of 14 of the most common foods to cause allergic reactions, such as nuts, shellfish and eggs.
BHA guidance toolkit
Some 8 billion out-of-home meals are served every year. With up to 2 per cent of people being food allergy sufferers and 20% of people believing they have some kind of food allergy according to NHS figures, there could be millions of requests for information for food businesses to deal with. The new EU regulations, which come into force on 13 December, seek to provide the public with better information about the foods they are eating.
The British Hospitality Association is launching a guidance toolkit designed by its food advisory team, members and Bond Dickinson to help hotels, restaurants and caterers implement the new regulations and cope with these requests for information.
Greatest challenges
The challenge will be greatest for restaurants who frequently change recipe or menu items; pop-up or event caterers; establishments with high staff turnover; and smaller establishments who may struggle with the resources to track, identify and record all allergens used from main dishes through to garnishes and drinks.
As a result, the British Hospitality Association has calculated that it could cost the industry up to £200 million per year to implement new sourcing and management processes, adapt menus and websites and regularly brief and train staff.
BHA Allergen Toolkit for members
The BHA has created a Guidance Toolkit designed to assist in understanding and implementing the new Allergen Regulations. It will be available free to all BHA members from Tuesday 26 August 2014.
The BHA will host a series of Regional Roadshows from September to December 2014 to help businesses get fully up to speed on the legislation and understand what’s required of staff.
Allergen Regulation Regional Roadshow Dates, Venues and Times
- Monday 8 September: SCOTLAND: 3.30 p.m. at Scottish Enterprise, Apex House,99 Haymarket Terrace, Edinburgh, EH12 5HD
- Wednesday 17 September: WALES: 3.30 p.m. at St Brides Spa Hotel, St Brides Hill, Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire, SA69 9NH
- Thursday 25 September: LONDON: 3.00 p.m. at Melia White House, Albany Street, Regent’s Park, London, NW1 3UP
- Tuesday 14 October: NORTHERN: 10.00 a.m. at Low Wood Hotel, Low Wood Bay, Windermere, Cumbria, LA23 1LP
- Thursday 23 October: SOUTH WESTERN: 3.30 p.m. at Calcot Manor, Nr. Tetbury, Gloucestershire, GL8 8YJ
- Tuesday 28 October: HEART OF ENGLAND: 10.30 a.m. at The Legacy Falcon Hotel, Chapel Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 6HA
- Monday 10 November: SOUTH EASTERN: 10.30 a.m. at Brooklands Hotel, Brooklands Drive, Weybridge, Surrey, KT13 0SL
- Monday 17 November: WALES (again): 1.00 p.m. at The Empire Hotel, 73 Church Walks, Llandudno, LL30 2HE
- Wednesday 19 November: EASTERN: 2.00 p.m. at DoubleTree by Hilton, Granta Place, Mill Lane, Cambridge, CB2 1RT
- Monday 8 December: SCOTLAND (again): 3.30 p.m. at Crieff Hydro, Strathearn House, Ferntower Road, Crieff, Perthshire PH7 3LQ
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