Chapter Three:

The Dangers of Non-Compliance to Natasha’s Law

With Natasha’s Law coming into effect soon, it’s important to ensure you are compliant with all regulations. They will be legally enforced by your local environmental health services, with compliance monitored during their regular inspections.

It’s important to comply with Natasha’s Law, both for your business and for your customers. After Natasha’s tragic death, Pret A Manger (the café where she purchased the baguette) suffered from heavy reputational damage. Natasha’s case wasn’t the only instance where a customer had experienced a severe allergic reaction from a Pret A Manger product, and for the second case, they were taken to court.

Despite the company’s CEO releasing an apology for Natasha’s death and implementing allergen labels across their products, Pret A Manger still saw a heavy force in the name of reputational damage. Many media outlets questioned why it took over two years after Natasha’s death before the company changed their packaging requirements, and it came to light that they had been warned about their allergen labelling due to nine previous allergen incidents in the year prior to Natasha’s death.

Contrary to what we have all heard at one point in our lives, not all press is good press. The limelight being shone on Pret A Manger’s poor allergen management has caused a number of issues, and it’s likely that customers with severe allergies will avoid the company at all costs. Their lax response to the case, and the apparent lack of staff training, will stick in the minds of many – and this is before any laws come into place.

Once Natasha’s Law becomes a legal requirement, businesses that do not comply will also face fines and other legal punishments alongside potential reputational damage. If a health inspector sees any issues with the solution you’ve put in place, you may face fines of up to £5,000 per instance of non-compliance. For many small businesses, mistakes can be incredibly costly.

To ensure compliance, invest in a clear, user-friendly food product labelling solution. Reward-It’s printer bundle, specifically for use with Natasha’s Law labelling requirements, contains everything you need to ensure your food products are displayed correctly.