Ireland
Allergens, done properly.
This is the one area where a guess is genuinely dangerous, and where online ordering adds an obligation people forget.
In short
Restaurants in Ireland and the UK must provide accurate information on the 14 regulated allergens for the food they sell, including on food ordered online. Information must be available before a purchase is completed, staff must be able to answer accurately, and the information must be kept current whenever a recipe or supplier changes. This is a summary, not legal advice.
Updated 28 August 2026
The obligation covers online too
Allergen information has to be available to a customer before they buy, and that includes distance selling. An ordering site where allergen information appears only after checkout, or not at all, does not meet the expectation. Put it on the item, in the flow, before the basket.
Keep a source document, and keep it current
A single allergen matrix listing every dish against the regulated allergens, kept up to date, is the practical core of compliance. The most common failure is not the initial document, it is that a supplier changed, a recipe changed, or a dish was added and the matrix did not move with it.
- One matrix, every dish, every regulated allergen
- Reviewed whenever a recipe or supplier changes
- Accessible to every member of staff during service
- Reflected on the online menu, not only on paper
Train staff to check rather than guess
The right answer from a staff member who does not know is that they will check, not a best guess. Guessing under pressure on a busy night is where serious incidents come from. Make checking normal and quick, and make clear that nobody is expected to know from memory.
Cross-contamination is a separate conversation
Declaring ingredients is not the same as guaranteeing absence. If your kitchen cannot rule out cross-contact, say so plainly rather than implying a dish is safe. Customers with serious allergies would far rather have an honest answer than a reassuring one.
The honest limitation
This guide is an overview of an area with real legal weight and real consequences. Requirements differ in detail between Ireland and the UK and change over time. Use the official guidance from your food safety authority as the source of truth and take advice if you are unsure.
Questions, answered straight.
Not covered here? Just ask us.
How many allergens must be declared?
Fourteen are regulated across the EU and UK frameworks. Your food safety authority publishes the current list and guidance on how information must be provided.
Does this apply to daily specials?
Yes. Specials are the most common gap, because they bypass the process used for the printed menu. Build them into the same routine.
Can I just say to ask staff?
Signposting can form part of an approach, but the information has to be genuinely available and accurate when asked. A sign alone with no underlying information does not meet the obligation.
What about prepacked food for direct sale?
There are specific labelling requirements for prepacked items sold on the premises. Check current guidance, as this area has changed in recent years.
Is this legal advice?
No. Consult your food safety authority's guidance and take professional advice for your specific operation.
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