X-height equal or greater to 1,2 mm, Origin labelling, alcoholic strength ... : Do those apply to hotel, restaurant and catering? Quick answer: no.

Requirements for hotel, restaurant and catering owners

Here are the EU 1169/2011 regulation mandatory information provisions for hotel, restaurant and catering owners:

This is the core of the legislation. Member States keep their right to go beyond the EU nutrition information provision requirements (e.g. declaring the use of food additives in Germany).

Allergen information must be indicated at either one of those locations: the point of presentation (e.g. chalkboard or restaurant menu), the point of sale (e.g. café counter) OR the point of supply (e.g. buffet table).

 

If you would like to learn more about allergen labelling for your hotel, restaurant or catering, make sure to know the very specific exemptions to the marking of substances or products causing allergies. 

Measures that do NOT fulfill EU 1169/2011 requirements

Verbal provision of information only given upon request

It is no longer possible to provide allergen information only and simply upon request by the consumer. If it is explicitly told or written that allergen information is available, this information must then be provided in writing.

"may contain" declarations

Precautionary declarations such as “may contain…” or “prepared in a kitchen that uses…” are voluntary declarations but do not satisfy the EU 1169/2011 requirements of food allergen information.

Voluntary-only information provision by hotel, restaurant and catering owners

The list of nutrition information below concerns packaged foods only (e.g. müsli box or milk bottle). The EU 1169/2011 does not require hotel, restaurant and catering owners to provide the following:

  • Origin labelling (the product's country of origin or place of provenance)
  • Customary and descriptive names of product
  • Primary ingredient
  • Alcoholic strength of beverages
  • Typeface with a x-height equal or greater to 1,2 mm
  • Highlighting products containing allergens by means of the font, style or background colour.

If you'd like to speed up your allergen labelling process with an EU 1169/2011 legally compliant software, make sure to start your free trial on our solution for hotel, restaurant and catering owners: Menutech. 

 

Sources: 

Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2011 on the provision of food information to consumers

European Commission - Directorate for Health and Food Safety, 2013: Questions and Answers on the application of the Regulation (EU) N° 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers