Allergens & Compliance

Ministry of Agriculture Allergen Disclosure Guide

A phone showing allergen warnings on a QR menu

The Ministry of Agriculture's food labelling and consumer information rules require that allergenic ingredients in food and drinks served at restaurants, cafes and bars are clearly disclosed to the customer. In other words, your menu must show not only the product name and price but also the allergens each item contains. In this guide we cover which allergens are in scope, how the information should be presented and how a digital QR menu makes compliance easier.

Allergens That Must Be Disclosed

In line with international standards, the regulation requires mandatory disclosure of a defined group of allergens. The items below must be clearly stated to the customer when they are present in a menu item as an ingredient or processing aid:

  • Cereals containing gluten (wheat, rye, barley, oats)
  • Milk and dairy products (including lactose)
  • Eggs, fish, crustaceans and molluscs
  • Peanuts and tree nuts (hazelnut, almond, walnut, etc.)
  • Soy, sesame, celery, mustard and lupin
  • Sulphites and sulphur dioxide (above a defined threshold)

How Should the Information Be Presented?

Allergen information must be written and easily accessible to the customer before ordering. It can appear on the menu itself, in a separate information table, or next to each item on a digital menu. What matters is that the information is current, accurate and legible. With a printed menu, a recipe change requires a reprint, which makes staying current hard. On a digital menu, changing an ingredient updates the allergen label instantly.

Allergen Compliance with ROXQR

With ROXQR you can add allergen labels to every item and show them to the customer in the language the menu opens in. No app is needed; the guest scans the QR code, the menu opens in the browser, and allergen warnings appear clearly in the product detail. Thanks to the multilingual setup, a tourist guest reads the information in their own language. You can try it free and build your menu in minutes. See our allergen-compliant QR menu solution for details.

In short: allergen disclosure is both a legal requirement and the foundation of customer safety. Providing accurate, current and accessible information both ensures compliance and earns your guests' trust. A digital QR menu simplifies this: a single change applies instantly across all tables and printing costs disappear.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it mandatory to show allergen information on the menu?

Yes. Under Ministry of Agriculture regulations, allergenic ingredients in the items you serve must be disclosed to the customer in writing and accessibly.

Is a digital menu compliant with allergen rules?

Yes. A digital menu is compliant as long as the information is written, accurate, current and easily accessible before ordering. In ROXQR, allergen labels appear clearly on every item.

How do I update allergen info when an ingredient changes?

On a digital menu you simply edit the item and update its allergen label; the change goes live instantly across all tables with no reprint needed.

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