Guide

PPDS label size requirements

UK guidance expects PPDS mandatory information to be clear and legible, with x-height rules familiar from food information law (typically a minimum x-height of 1.2 mm, or 0.9 mm on the smallest packs). There is no single “Natasha’s Law sticker size”, but the text must remain readable on the pack you actually use.

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

Legibility over sticker mythology

Legibility rules of thumb

Pack face	Typical x-height expectation	Practical tip
Larger packs	At least 1.2 mm x-height	Prefer bold/capitals for allergen emphasis on thermal printers
Smallest packs	At least 0.9 mm x-height	Widen the label or split lines rather than shrink text
No single “Natasha’s Law sticker size”	—	Choose stock that keeps the full ingredients list readable

People search for “PPDS label size” expecting a millimetre template. The enforceable idea is that mandatory particulars must be easy to read. Very small decorative stickers that crush the ingredients list into unreadability fail that test even if allergens are technically bold.

Font size (x-height)

Food information rules use x-height of the lower-case x. For most packs the minimum is 1.2 mm; smaller packs with a largest surface below a set area may use 0.9 mm. Thermal printers need fonts that still meet that size after printing.

Practical label formats

62 mm or wider continuous thermal labels for sandwiches and salad pots
Lid labels on cake boxes with ingredients on the side panel if the lid is too small
Multi-line layouts rather than microscopic single-line lists

See our guide to UK food label font size for worked examples of measuring x-height.

Questions

Is a 25×25 mm sticker enough?

Only if the mandatory text still meets legibility rules. For full ingredients lists it usually is not — use a larger label or a second panel.

Do I need colour printing?

No. Capitals or bold on monochrome thermal output are acceptable emphasis methods.

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