The information provided to the final consumer about substances or products that may cause allergies or intolerances are regulated in a specific manner. In particular, for food without packaging, or packed on the sales premises at the consumer’s request or pre-packed for direct sale, Member States may adopt national provisions. The Ministry of Health has emphasized the responsibility of the industry in providing accurate information in a statement, in accordance with applicable regulations and national provisions. In particular, operators providing food ready for consumption within a structure (restaurant, cafeteria, school, hospital), through a catering service, or with a vehicle or a fixed or mobile structure, must provide the required information to the final consumer (to be indicated on the menu, or special registers or signs or equivalent systems, with free and easy access to the consumer).
Electronic systems such as “smartphone applications,” bar codes, QR codes, etc. cannot be the only means to report the necessary information, as they are not easily accessible to the entire population. It is also possible to report in writing, on posters or on the menu, for example, terms such as “information regarding the presence of substances or products causing allergies or intolerances is available by contacting the staff on duty” or “for any information on substances and allergens you can consult the appropriate documentation that will be provided, upon request, by the staff on duty.”
