Like Natasha's Law that precedes it, Owen's Law is a proposed new legislation that has come about following a severe allergic reaction suffered by a young person. Owen Carey was an 18-year-old boy with multiple severe allergies, including dairy. In 2017, while celebrating his birthday in London, Owen ordered a chicken burger at a restaurant. Assured by staff that the dish was safe for him to eat, Owen was unaware that the chicken had been marinated in buttermilk - a detail not disclosed on the menu or by the server. Following Owen Carey's tragic death, his parents have campaigned for better written communications of allergens on restaurant menus. At the time of writing, Owen's Law is still in development.

What are the details of Owen's Law?

The Owen’s Law campaign calls for a series of changes, most significantly that allergy information must be included on menus in all food outlets, including restaurants and cafes, in the UK. As it currently stands, food outlets do not have to include written allergy information on their menus, although this is advised.

The other changes proposed by the campaign include:

• All food outlets should put appropriate and accurate allergen information in writing, at the point of ordering, without the customer having to ask.
• Food outlets should initiate a discussion with every customer about allergies, on all occasions
• Food outlets should train their staff in allergy safety, particularly in fast food and high staff turnover environments.
• A proper recording and a national register of anaphylaxis related deaths should be established.

Owen's parents have also suggested the development of several easy-to-use tech solutions, including accessible online allergen matrices, a smartphone app, and a personal QR code for allergy sufferers that allows quick and easy access to their allergy information.

This legislation should make dining out a less fraught and hazardous experience for the UK’s approximately two million food allergy sufferers.

Has Owen's Law been passed?

Owen's Law has not yet been passed - below is a timeline of the campaign's progress so far:

What are the challenges for food businesses?

In food outlets where menu items and ingredients remain the same for a period of time (e.g. chain restaurants), Owen's Law may not be too difficult to implement. However, in more dynamic operations where the menu may change from day-to-day, and ingredients are dependent on available supply, this law represents a potential challenge which will need to be embraced and solved.

Communication with suppliers will become increasingly important, as menus will need to reflect ingredients with 100% accuracy, even if a last-minute substitution has been made.

Potential options include the use of mobile devices and integration of QR codes in menus to provide customers with the latest allergy information, or alternatively, going entirely to QR-based menu systems and discontinuing physical menus. While this option would enable the latest menu information to be updated without the need for reprints, it may be a complex system to implement, depending on the size of the establishments. 

However, the Republic of Ireland already has similar laws to those that have been proposed, and adherence in ROI has shown that these measures can be achieved and work effectively. With good support, sharing of best practice and dedication, the UK food industry can improve safety for allergy sufferers.

How has the public reacted to the Owen's Law campaign?

A petition for passing Owen’s Law was made available to the British public, which received significant backing at over 12,000 signatures and was eventually nominated for the Award by the Petition’s Committee. The petition's success resulted in a debate in Parliament that occurred in May 2023, which was a pivotal moment for the campaign as it highlighted the public's concern about food allergy issues. Following this, there were various personal stories that captured the attention of the public, such as Max, a 17-year-old with a severe peanut allergy, who advocated for Owen's Law, stating it would make people with allergies feel safer when dining out.

What can businesses do to prepare?

In anticipation of the new legislation, it has been recommended that food businesses review their allergen policies and procedures. The Safer Food Group offers two options for food allergy training courses.

Level 2 Allergy Awareness: Suitable for all food handlers, and explains the fundamentals of food allergies and the key steps to creating safe food for allergy sufferers.

Level 3 Allergy Supervisor course:  Explains your legal responsibilities as a food business, and details how to undertake an allergens risk assessment and put the correct processes, procedures and communications in place.

For any questions you may have, about Owen’s Law or any other food safety related queries, get in touch with an expert from our team at The Safer Food Group.