A compliant UK food label needs the right information in the right format. FoodCore generates it automatically from your recipe — no design skills, no manual allergen checking, no reformatting when recipes change.
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If you sell food directly to customers in the UK, you almost certainly need food labels. The question most small food business owners have isn't whether they need labels — it's what exactly needs to go on them, and how to make labels that are actually compliant without spending hours on each one.
The most common approach is a Word document or Canva template. You type out the ingredients, bold the allergens manually, adjust the font to fit the label size, and print. For one or two products, this is manageable. For a business with 20 products and recipes that change regularly, it becomes a significant ongoing task — and one where errors are easy to make. Manually bolding allergens means manually identifying them first. Miss one and your label is non-compliant.
This page explains what a compliant UK food label must include, and how FoodCore generates it automatically from your recipe data — so you can make labels quickly, accurately, and without needing to know the legal requirements by heart.
For pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS) food under Natasha's Law.
A clear name that identifies what the product is — either a legal name (e.g. "Victoria sponge cake"), a customary name, or a descriptive name. This must appear on the label.
Every ingredient must be listed, starting with the ingredient present in the greatest quantity and ending with the least. Compound ingredients (e.g. a bought-in sauce or spice blend) must list their sub-ingredients in brackets immediately after the compound ingredient name.
Any of the 14 major allergens present in the product must be emphasised within the ingredients list — typically by printing them in bold. This is the requirement introduced by Natasha's Law and the most common source of non-compliance for small food businesses. The 14 allergens are: celery, cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, lupin, milk, molluscs, mustard, peanuts, sesame, soybeans, sulphur dioxide/sulphites, and tree nuts.
FoodCore generates labels that meet all three requirements automatically. You don't need to know the legal format — FoodCore applies it from your recipe data.
From recipe to print-ready label in three steps.
Add your ingredients to FoodCore — either by typing them in or scanning barcodes on packaged ingredients to import data automatically. For each ingredient, FoodCore records its allergens. Build your recipe by adding ingredients with quantities.
FoodCore generates a label preview automatically — ingredients in descending order by weight, allergens highlighted in bold. Review it to confirm everything looks correct. If you need to adjust a quantity or add an ingredient, update the recipe and the label updates instantly.
Print directly from FoodCore onto standard label paper. No need to export to Word or Canva and reformat. Print, peel, attach to your packaging. When a recipe changes, print new labels before selling the updated product.
The practical problems with manual label-making — and how FoodCore solves them.
In Word or Canva, you bold allergens manually — which means identifying them manually first. If you miss one, your label is non-compliant. FoodCore detects allergens automatically from your ingredient data and highlights them in bold without any manual checking.
Every time you change a recipe, you need to find the label file, update it, recheck the allergens, reformat, and reprint. FoodCore labels update automatically when recipes change — you never sell a product with an outdated label.
If you use a bought-in sauce or spice blend, its sub-ingredients must be listed on your label. In Word, you need to research and type these manually. FoodCore tracks sub-ingredients automatically when you add compound ingredients to your library.
Change a recipe quantity and the ingredient order by weight may change — which means the label needs to be redone. FoodCore recalculates the ingredient order automatically when quantities change.
In Word or Canva, your recipe and your label are separate documents. FoodCore connects them: the label is generated from the recipe, so they're always in sync.
FoodCore stores your entire recipe library. Generate labels for every product in your range from the same system — no separate files to manage, no folder of templates to maintain.
FoodCore is built for small UK food businesses — not enterprise kitchens with IT teams.
Every pre-packed product needs a compliant label. FoodCore generates them from your recipes automatically — print before each production run.
Print labels at home the night before market day. FoodCore makes it straightforward to generate labels for your full range without a design background.
Selling via Instagram, Etsy, or direct delivery means your products need compliant labels. FoodCore handles this for a one-person operation at £55/month.
Rotating menus mean labels change regularly. FoodCore keeps labels accurate as your menu evolves — no manual file management.
Yes, if you sell pre-packed for direct sale (PPDS) food — food that is packed before the customer picks it up. Natasha's Law requires a full ingredients list with allergens highlighted in bold on every PPDS product. This applies to market stall sellers.
Ingredients must be listed in descending order by weight at the time of manufacture, preceded by the word 'Ingredients:'. Compound ingredients must list their sub-ingredients in brackets. All 14 major allergens must be emphasised — typically in bold. FoodCore applies this format automatically.
FoodCore generates print-ready labels formatted for standard label paper. You can print on any label paper that fits in your printer. The label format is designed to be clear and readable at typical label sizes.
Yes. Your label must accurately reflect the product at the time of sale. FoodCore makes this automatic — change the recipe and the label updates immediately. Print new labels before selling the updated product.
Food labelling is one part of FoodCore. The same subscription also gives you recipe costing, allergen matrix, shopping lists, order management, and a margin dashboard. Everything a small food business needs to run its kitchen, at one flat price of £55/month.
Every feature included. No card required. Cancel any time. from £19/mo after trial — two plans from £19/month.
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