Updated for 2026. This guide incorporates the latest guidance from the DGCCRF (France's consumer protection and food safety authority) on applying the EU INCO regulation for restaurants with digital menus. In effect since 13 December 2014, with strengthened enforcement in 2024–2026.

Displaying allergen information has been a legal requirement for all restaurants since 2014 — yet 21% of establishments were still found non-compliant in 2026. This comprehensive guide explains what you need to display, how to do it, and how going digital makes compliance radically simpler.

1. The Regulatory Framework: EU INCO and National Legislation

Allergen labelling regulations are built on two key pieces of legislation:

Legal basis

EU Regulation No 1169/2011 (INCO): Governs the provision of food information to consumers. Applicable since 13 December 2014 across the entire European Union. Requires information on 14 allergens for all pre-packed foods AND non-pre-packed foods (including restaurant meals).
French Decree No 2015-447: Sets out the specific rules for applying INCO in French food service. Allows oral or written allergen information for non-pre-packed foods, but requires that the information be accessible, accurate, and available on request.
Order of 25 November 2011: Establishes the list of 14 allergenic substances that must be declared.
DGCCRF Guidance 2024: Practical guidelines for the food service sector. Recommends written, permanent display (on the menu or alongside it) to prevent any disputes.

For EU and international operators: The INCO regulation applies directly across the entire EU. Belgium (FASFC), Luxembourg (ASFL), and Switzerland (FSVO — with its own legislation closely aligned with INCO) all enforce equivalent rules. In the UK, the Food Information Regulations 2014 mirror INCO requirements, including the same 14 allergens (known as "Natasha's Law" for pre-packed foods). A digital menu compliant with INCO is valid across all these jurisdictions.

2. The 14 Mandatory Allergens

These 14 substances must be declared whenever they are used in a dish, even in trace amounts:

#	Allergen	Common examples
1	Cereals containing gluten	Wheat, rye, barley, oats, spelt
2	Crustaceans	Prawns, lobster, crab, langoustine
3	Eggs	Hen's eggs and other poultry eggs
4	Fish	All fish, including anchovies
5	Peanuts	Peanut butter, groundnut oil
6	Soya	Soya lecithin, tofu, miso
7	Milk	Butter, cream, cheese, lactose

#	Allergen	Common examples
8	Tree nuts	Walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pistachios, cashews
9	Celery	Celeriac, celery stalks, celery salt
10	Mustard	Mustard seeds, leaves, mustard oil
11	Sesame seeds	Tahini, sesame oil, sesame bread
12	Sulphur dioxide / Sulphites	Wines, vinegars, dried fruits (>10mg/kg)
13	Lupin	Lupin flour, lupin seeds
14	Molluscs	Mussels, oysters, squid, snails

⚠️ Watch out for cross-contamination: If your kitchen does not intentionally include an allergen in a dish but the risk of cross-contamination exists (shared ovens, shared worktops), you must flag it with the phrase "may contain traces of…". Failing to disclose this in cases of severe allergy can expose you to both civil and criminal liability.

3. Your Specific Obligations by Type of Establishment

Table-service restaurants

✅ Written allergen information on the menu, the carte, or a notice available to customers
✅ Information available before ordering (not only upon verbal request)
✅ Information that is accurate and up to date whenever recipes or suppliers change
❌ Verbal-only disclosure ("ask your server") is no longer considered best practice — regulators recommend written display

Takeaway / click & collect restaurants

✅ Allergen information displayed on the online menu before the order is placed
✅ Information on the packaging or on a document included with the order
✅ For delivery platforms (Uber Eats, Deliveroo, Just Eat): ensure allergens are properly listed on your platform profile

Buffets and self-service

✅ Individual labels on every dish
✅ A summary chart that is visible and accessible

Hotels (room service, in-house restaurant)

✅ In-room menu with allergen information
✅ Website or app with allergens listed if digital ordering is available
✅ Staff trained to respond to guest enquiries about allergens

4. Risks and Penalties for Non-Compliance

Regulatory inspections

Food safety authorities carry out unannounced inspections. In 2025, 21% of restaurants inspected in France received formal notices for allergen non-compliance.

Administrative penalties

Fines of up to €1,500 (approx. £1,300 / $1,700) per offence. Repeated violations can result in enforced closure of the premises.

Civil and criminal liability

If a customer suffers harm due to an undeclared allergen, the restaurant owner can be held personally liable. Courts have handed down damages running into tens of thousands of euros.

"Food safety authorities have stepped up allergen inspections since 2024. Restaurants that fail to display allergen information clearly face penalties — but more importantly, they put their customers at serious health risk."

Source: DGCCRF Annual Report, Food Safety Inspection Review 2025

5. How to Display Allergens: 4 Methods Compared

Method	Cost	Updates	Legal compliance	Recommended
Paper allergen chart A printed chart displayed in the dining area with ✓/✗ per dish	~£15 / $20 (printing)	⚠️ Must reprint with every change	✅ Compliant	🟡 Acceptable
Printed on the menu Symbols or icons next to each dish	~£40–80 / $50–100 (design + printing)	⚠️ Reprinting required	✅ Compliant	🟡 Acceptable
Allergen folder/binder Detailed folder available on request	~£25 / $30 (laminating)	⚠️ Tedious manual updates	⚠️ Compliant if readily accessible	🔴 Not recommended (frequent source of disputes)
Digital menu with built-in allergens Icons per dish, real-time updates	£0 / $0 (free solutions available)	✅ Instant updates	✅ Compliant + digital audit trail	✅ Recommended

A digital menu solves all allergen compliance challenges in one go:

✅ Compliance benefits

Automatic allergen icons on every dish
Instant updates with no reprinting
Change history (proof in case of inspection)
Filters for allergy sufferers (improved customer experience)
Multilingual: allergens displayed in your customer's language

💡 Additional benefits

Fewer questions for your waiting staff → smoother service
Allergy-conscious customers feel safer → stronger loyalty
Zero printing or laminating costs
Automatic compliance whenever you update your menu
Enhances your reputation ("responsible restaurant")

How it works with ALaCarte.Direct

Create your menu on alacarte.direct (free, takes 30 seconds)
For each dish, tick the relevant allergens from the list of 14
Automatically, allergen icons appear on your digital menu
Your customers can filter by allergen straight from their smartphone
Changed a recipe? One click is all it takes to update the display

Create my menu with allergens — Free →

7. Allergen Compliance Checklist 2026

Official Resources

📥 Need help getting allergen-compliant?
ALaCarte.Direct has built-in management of all 14 allergens in your digital menu — completely free. Get started in 30 seconds →

FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions About Restaurant Allergens

In theory, some regulations (such as French Decree 2015-447) allow verbal disclosure for non-pre-packed food in food service settings. In practice, regulators strongly recommend permanent written display, and courts have penalised restaurateurs who relied solely on verbal communication when incidents occurred. Written disclosure is the only truly safe approach.

Yes, absolutely. The obligation covers all food served, including daily specials, set menus, and complimentary appetisers. If you write the day's special on a chalkboard, add the allergens alongside it — or direct customers to your allergen chart or digital menu.

Administrative fines can reach €1,500 (approx. £1,300 / $1,700) per offence. If a customer suffers physical harm, the restaurant owner faces civil and criminal liability — with damages potentially running far higher. Getting compliant costs nothing with a free digital menu. The risk-reward calculation speaks for itself.

In Belgium and Luxembourg, the INCO regulation applies directly as EU member states. The same 14 allergens are mandatory. In Switzerland, national legislation (FSVO) closely mirrors INCO and also requires the same 14 allergens. A digital menu that complies with INCO is therefore valid across all three countries.

If your kitchen uses shared equipment for preparations with and without allergens, you must flag this with the phrase "may contain traces of…". In severe cases (nut allergies, peanut allergies, gluten for coeliac sufferers), this disclosure is critical and can genuinely be a matter of life or death for your customer.

Restaurant Allergen Compliance: Your Complete 2026 Legal Guide (+ Free Checklist)

1. The Regulatory Framework: EU INCO and National Legislation

2. The 14 Mandatory Allergens