Food labelling and costing, in plain English
Written for any small UK food business: no legal jargon, no scare tactics, sources cited.
Natasha’s Law for small food businesses: what PPDS actually requires
The pillar guide: scope, the 14 allergens, emphasis rules, and what an inspector looks for.
The 14 allergens, and the ways packs hide them
Cocoa butter isn’t dairy. “Reconstituted buttermilk (1%)” is. Real examples of how declarations mislead.
“May contain”: what precautionary allergen labelling is actually for
PAL is voluntary and should follow a real risk assessment, not habit.
How to write an ingredients list in weight order (with compound ingredients)
Bracketed sub-ingredients, home-made components, and descending weight order, worked through.
Best before or use by? Getting the date right
One is quality, one is safety, and perishables legally need the right one.
What an EHO wants to see when they ask about your labels
The records that end the conversation quickly.
Costing a recipe when ingredient prices keep moving
Why last month’s butter price is quietly eating your margin.
How much should I charge? Price from the batch
Why 3× ingredients, copying the neighbour and a 25–35% food cost fail — and how to set a price from what the batch actually cost.
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