NATASHA'S LAW
a change in the law – they are looking to engage with the new government on this. But for now, it is best practice for businesses to have this information available. “Owen’s Law will impact the sector, but not the front of house,” says Becky. “The importance will be on clearly labelling ingredients purchased that are then prepared for restaurant meals. All ingredients included should be readily identifiable, to prevent errors being made in restaurant menus that are pre-printed in advance.” Rich agrees that ultimately Owen’s Law will impact the food sector significantly. “Although I daresay that without the swift modernisation of food establishments across the UK with the right technology to support compliance, it could be many years before consumers can feel confident that the law will be securing their safety,” he says. “The law may help to protect consumers in the event of an infringement – but compliance with the law is generally a minimum requirement and ‘having your day in court’ won’t be much of a comfort if you are severely hospitalised, or worse. Above that you have moral code and ethics – I’d like to think that we will see the food industry owning its accountability and moving rapidly to do the right thing across the board and demand that their members invest in the right technology and the best labelling solutions, regardless of which laws are in place.” Work to do While compliance with Natasha’s Law – and the proposed Owen’s law – is improving there is still work to be done. “While it’s important that what is on the label is clearly definable and readable by the end user customer in a self-serve scenario, I think there is still a lot of work to ensure that the restaurants and food establishments have the right support to ensure that what goes on the label is right for each and every product, whether that’s packaged on site for customers to select from the shelf, or prepared at the point of sale, bespoke for that customer – so what processes can be in place to help the staff follow process and not deviate from the customer’s specific order,” says Rich. “I feel that technology will play the biggest role in customer safety, as well as that for staff and establishment compliance. Most of us have in our pocket today the means to scan for safety, without relying on how we perceive a label visually.”
hospitality is already common, for example to highlight use by and best before dates of perishable products. “There are colour printing solutions already out in the market today, however they stand at a significantly higher price point than traditional thermal printers,” he says. “For resellers looking to offer a cheaper printing alternative, it’s a common option to use pre-coloured labels to provide this additional information to the customer.” But Rich notes that colour, stand-alone, doesn’t provide the answer. “Let’s not forget that a proportion of the population is affected by some form of colour-vision deficiency,” he says. “Not only that, but the psychological perception of colour – so what I think is a particular hue of pink, may be perceived as a warmer or colder hue by someone else – is subjective. Iconography is perhaps more universal, but maybe not as an immediate reference as some colours.” Simon adds that colour coding allergens on a menu – though not a legal requirement – can also enhance visibility and quick identification, as well as minimise the risk of verbal miscommunication. “Natasha’s Law compliance demands businesses indicate allergens in bold, italics or a different colour, and with Owen’s Law businesses will be looking to colour as one way to draw attention to allergens on a busy menu,” he says. Owen’s Law As Simon says, there is other potential legislation such as Owen’s Law that could have an impact on the sector. Owen’s Law is currently a campaign to ensure that restaurants state the 14 major allergens prescribed by EU law in their dishes in writing at the point of ordering and without the customer having to ask. The campaign, supported by the FSA, is hoping to make
Bob Vines country manager, UK, Ireland & Nordics
emea.tscprinters.com
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The main benefits that resellers should be communicating with their food and retail customers is that linerless labelling enables them to comply with directives and regulations while also improving their operational efficiency
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printinthechannel.co.uk
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