London, 22 April 2024 - Over half of people with food allergies (56 percent) have had an allergic reaction from mislabelled or unclear food packaging, with 23 percent having suffered multiple reactions.
Seven in 10 people with food allergies said they felt nervous whenever they ate food that they did not prepare or was not prepared by a close family member.
New research by GS1 UK has found that this could be down to inadequate food labelling practices in the UK. This includes unclear and inaccurate labelling, ambiguous phrases such as ‘may contain nuts’, and a worrying lack of consistency.
Most people with food allergies (60 percent) rely on reading product packaging in-store to access allergen information – but only one in four who check food labels (24 percent) always find the information they need.
Even if the information is found, people with food allergies are almost twice as likely to distrust it compared to those without (12 percent vs 7 percent3), citing concerns over accuracy (53 percent), vague language like ‘may contain’ (52 percent), small writing (27 percent) and the omission of their dietary requirements (13 percent).
As a result, many with food allergies take to searching online (41 percent), looking for product leaflets (23 percent), visiting manufacturer websites (24 percent) and asking in-store staff (17 percent) to access this important information.
However, 43 percent of those with food allergies say that they would prefer to access product information by scanning packaging with their smartphone.
This comes as next-generation barcodes – a fusion of the linear barcode and the QR code – are being piloted by GS1 UK members. QR codes powered by GS1 could soon be scanned in the stores and at the checkouts of leading retailers across the UK, providing both consumers and industry with instant access to endless streams of trusted product data.
This data is connected to the product’s unique identity, can extend far beyond the limitations of physical packaging, and can be seamlessly updated in real time, making allergen information more accurate and accessible than ever before.
People with food allergies were more likely than those without to have their purchasing decisions influenced by the availability of detailed product information via a QR code (83 percent vs 58 percent) – with two-thirds (64 percent) already using their smartphones to scan packaging that features a QR code.
A third (33 percent) said they’d be more likely to choose products with QR codes on pack, with 29 percent saying this would increase their confidence in a product.
Key information that people with food allergies would like to see when scanning QR codes includes full lists of ingredients (57 percent) and allergens (56 percent), health and nutritional information (41 percent) and details on precautionary allergen labelling (PAL) like ‘may contain’ (37 percent).
Sarah Knight, parent of two children with food allergies and CEO at The Allergy Team, which supports families, schools and businesses to manage allergies, commented on GS1 UK’s research: “The widespread use of next-generation QR codes on food packaging could provide the transparency needed for those with allergies to make better informed decisions. It would allow brands to provide greater clarity on what phrases like ‘may contain nuts’ mean. For example, was the item made on a production line with nuts or was it made in a separate part of the factory which reduces the risk of contamination? Details like this could save lives – and will no doubt alleviate huge anxiety for people with food allergies and their families.”
GS1 UK’s research has also revealed the ambiguity surrounding what precautionary allergen labels (PAL) such as ‘may contain’ and ‘free from’ mean to consumers.
It found that there is a widespread belief (72 percent) amongst respondents that if something is marketed as ‘free from’, it needs to be completely free from specific ingredients like gluten, dairy or nuts.
It is true that a product must be free from a specified allergen, but labelling something as free from does not mean it is necessarily free from all allergens.
And vegan labelling is not included in food law, so it may still contain animal products – the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) found that one in three vegan products on sale include milk and egg .
It is the same story for PAL, with 80 percent of respondents unaware that there is no clear definition of ‘may contain’ amongst manufacturers.
A further 73 percent were unaware that there is no legal or regulatory guidance for manufacturers regarding PAL, with over half (56 percent) unaware that PAL is entirely voluntary.
Labelling can vary depending on a manufacturer's interpretation of the guidelines, meaning that there is no consistency for consumers. This can lead to risky behaviours, with 20 percent of people with food allergies saying they have risked eating food items with ‘may contain’ labelling.
Leading food allergy expert, Professor Adam Fox, commented: “There are devastating consequences of undeclared allergens or unclear labelling. The lack of legislation surrounding precautionary allergen labelling, terms like ‘may contain’ is a huge concern. Next-generation QR codes can only help to provide the transparency needed to keep people with food allergies safe in what has become the potential lottery of food labelling.”
Julianne Ponan MBE, CEO of Creative Nature Superfoods, said: “I’m a sufferer of anaphylaxis to all peanuts, tree nuts, sesame seeds and certain additives. Unclear food labelling can be a matter of life and death. A huge number of brands are lazy on labelling, choosing to protect themselves, not the consumer.
“It would be unacceptable to release food items with labelling that says ‘may contain glass’ - so why is it acceptable to use may contain labelling for ingredients that can be lethal to many consumers in the UK?
“There is a desperate need for a universal agreement of what ‘may contain’ constitutes so consumers can make informed decisions. The adoption of QR codes powered by GS1 on food packaging has the potential to revolutionise the much-needed transparency, particularly for individuals like myself with allergies. This innovation enables brands to offer unprecedented clarity regarding statements such as ‘may contain nuts, egg, milk’. As well as allowing brands to tell the full story to offer more transparency to the customer. Such detailed information isn't merely informative; it's lifesaving. It promises to not only save lives but also to provide immense relief to allergy sufferers and their loved ones, easing the burden of anxiety that often accompanies mealtime decisions.”
Sarah Atkins, CMO and membership director of GS1 UK, said: “Undeclared ingredients and unclear labelling can have devastating consequences for people with allergies. Both brands and retailers need to ensure that consumers are kept informed and protected with product data they can trust. QR codes powered by GS1 can address this challenge, providing consumers with instant access to the information they need to stay safe and well.”
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Notes to editors
For further information or requests for interviews, contact Max Fairhurst, max.fairhurst@redbrickroad.com, 07799 739438.
About GS1 UK
Whether online, in store or in a hospital, the common language of GS1 global standards is helping our community of more than 60,000 organisations across the UK to uniquely identify, describe and track anything, creating greater trust in data for everyone. From product barcodes to patient wristbands, GS1 standards have been transforming the way we work and live for 50 years.
We are now embarking on the next 50 years of industry transformation delivered through QR codes powered by GS1. GS1 UK is one of 116 neutral and independent GS1 organisations operating worldwide.
About the research
The nationally representative research was conducted by Censuswide of 1,023 who suffer with food allergies vs 1,000 who do not suffer with food allergies. Carried out between 02.04.2024 and 05.04.2024.
Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society and follows the MRS code of conduct and ESOMAR principles. Censuswide is also a member of the British Polling Council.
About Julianne Ponan MBE
Julianne Ponan MBE of Creative Nature is leading an initiative to promote allergy education in schools, aiming to diminish bullying and foster inclusivity for every child. In collaboration with The Allergy Badge, Stephanie Hulme, Dr. Jose Costa, and coach Jay Dhanjal, they've developed an Allergy Assembly program. In 2023, this program reached over 130,000 children. As part of allergy awareness week, they are revisiting schools to offer this assembly pack free of charge to all primary schools nationwide’.