Guide

Butcher counter PPDS labelling

Butchers packing sausages, burgers, marinated meats or ready meals before customers select them need PPDS labels with the name of the food and full ingredients — including allergens in glazes, rusk, sausages and sauces. Fresh meat cut and wrapped to order after the customer asks is usually a different information route.

Reviewed 22 September 2026 against official guidance.SourcesNot legal advice.

What is usually PPDS in a butchery

Trays of sausages sealed for the fridge
Marinated kebab skewers packed in the morning
Ready meals and pies made on site and packed for sale

Cut to order

Steak cut and wrapped after the customer chooses typically is not PPDS. Seasonings added in view of the customer still need honest allergen communication if they contain cereals, soya or sulphites.

Butcher traps

Rusk and fillers (cereals containing gluten)
Sulphites in sausages and burgers
Soy in marinades and sticky glazes
Mustard and celery in seasonings and stocks

FSA sector guide

Use the FSA PPDS materials for butchers — they match counter language and products.

Questions

Do I need QUID and PPDS ingredients?

Meat products often trigger QUID and other particulars. PPDS allergen ingredients duties still apply when the pack is PPDS — meet all that apply.

Are vacuum packs from my own kitchen PPDS?

If sold by you from the same premises after packing before selection, yes — label them.

Official sources

Everything on this page traces back to these. Where they and we disagree, they are right — tell us and we'll fix it.

Introduction to allergen labelling for PPDS foodFood Standards Agency / GOV.UK
Labelling guidance for prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) food productsFood Standards Agency / GOV.UK
Food allergen labelling and information requirements technical guidanceFood Standards Agency / GOV.UK