Allergen Poster for Food Businesses: Design, Placement & Requirements

An effective allergen poster is readable at the distance from which it will typically be viewed. Kitchen posters should be legible from 1-2 metres (arm's length during prep). Customer-facing posters near a counter should be readable from a normal standing distance. Use high-contrast colours: dark text on a light background is standard. Avoid busy backgrounds, watermarks, or photographs behind text. Icons should be large enough to distinguish at a glance. Group related information logically: the 14 allergens together, procedures in a separate section, emergency information clearly marked. Use your business branding if it helps the poster look professional, but do not let design override clarity. A beautifully designed poster that is hard to read fails its purpose. Laminate or use waterproof materials for kitchen posters. Replace any poster that becomes faded, stained, or torn. A tatty allergen poster suggests neglect.

UK law does not mandate specific allergen posters or their design. However, the Food Information Regulations require that allergen information is available at the point of choice for loose food. A customer-facing poster or sign directing people to ask about allergens is the minimum expectation for any business serving loose food. The sign must be clearly visible before the customer makes their ordering decision. EHOs assess allergen signage as part of their inspection. They check whether signage is present, visible, and accurate. They also check whether the signage reflects actual practice: if a poster says "Ask our trained staff about allergens," the staff must actually be trained and able to provide accurate information. A poster that makes promises your business cannot deliver is worse than no poster at all. For businesses with PPDS food, individual labelling is required and a poster alone is not sufficient, but a poster reinforcing your allergen commitment is still good practice.