The deadline is fast approaching – your two-week calorie labelling checklist

There are now less than two weeks until new calorie labelling legislation comes into effect across England. In order to comply with the new laws and avoid costly fines, food businesses need to take immediate action. Nutritics has provided a two-week checklist and urges food operators to focus on technology.

In a little over two weeks, certain businesses in England will have to display the calorie content of the food they sell. The initiative applies to large out-of-home food businesses including restaurants, cafés and takeaways with more than 250 employees. The ‘Calorie Labelling (Out of Home Sector) (England) Regulations 2021’ come into force from 6 April 2022, and time is running out.

While the new calorie labelling legislation was first announced last year, the April deadline has snuck up on many business owners in England. With companies now in a race against time, menu management software company Nutritics has put together a checklist of all the things you need to consider to get your business ready.

Nutritics is a global leader in recipe development and menu management software for the food industry. Nutritics is currently the only company in the world to have been awarded the Gold Standard Recipe Calculation Accreditation by the European Food Information Resource (EuroFIR). Nutritics is founder of the Calorie Labelling Business Resource, a content hub which provides expert information and support for businesses in the UK.

Right now, the fastest route to compliance is through using menu management software and digital menu solutions. With that in mind, Nutritics’ best advice is to start today and focus on integrating with the right technology.

1. Software: Review your technology stack

Assess your existing software and menu management system. Decide whether it is fit for purpose or if you need to invest in an advanced system. Opt for a software system that:

• Enables the sharing of food information in real time to reduce risk of inaccuracies in the event of a change.
• Automates calculations based on recipe ingredients, quantities and cooking methods to make time-consuming analysis much more efficient and greatly reduce the risk of human error.
• Simplifies the calorie labelling process by choosing one product that integrates from start to finish with your supply chain.

2. Suppliers and stock: Make sure your suppliers are on board

• Look at your menus and recipes, and make sure they are up to date in your digital food management system.
• Document the exact ingredient formulas used to create each menu item on offer. Don’t forget to include any seasonal variations or frequent substitutions in this audit.
• Get your suppliers in order. Organise stock and document the various brands used in your supply chain.
• Only buy products from your approved suppliers list. Make sure you define your preferred brands and agree to any substitutions whenever your first choice isn’t available.
• Ask your suppliers to let you know if there is going to be a change to a product in your fixed agreed order. Use an electronic food information system to make managing and updating information quick and easy.
• If you have doubts or concerns at this stage, you should consider changing to a more flexible and compliant supplier.
• Once happy, list all approved suppliers on your HACCP plan.

3. Staff: Make sure your entire team is up to speed

• Put in place a staff training programme on calorie labelling. Empower staff across the business to ensure up-to-date information is maintained.
• Everyone in your business has a role to play in ensuring that information can be kept up-to-date and accurate.
• Define exact roles and responsibilities and appoint a “nutrition champion” who regularly validates the recipe formulas of every item on your menu.

Seek support from the experts

While this is not part of our checklist, we know that the organisations who are most successful at rolling out calorie labelling solutions are those who engage with industry experts. With less than two weeks to go, now is not the time to go it alone. At Nutritics, we have done it all before: we know what works and what doesn’t. We also know exactly what you need to do in order to adapt your business as quickly and smoothly as possible.

Schedule a free business consultation with our labelling experts today