Whether or not a WI is required to register as a food business depends on the scale and regularity of their activity. If a WI prepares and serves food occasionally, and on a small scale, they do not need to register as a food business.
A WI may need to register with their local authority as a food business if they provide food on a regular and organised basis. This applies even to not-for-profit organisations such as a food bank or charity. If an individual WI is uncertain about whether they should register as a food business, they should speak to their local authority for clarification.
If a WI is required to register as a food business, then it will need to supply allergen information to consumers in the format set out in the relevant legislation that applies to the category of food being sold (e.g., ‘non-prepacked’ food, ‘prepacked’ food or ‘prepacked for direct sale’ food).
If a WI does not need to be registered as a food business, they are not legally required to provide information about ingredients and allergens present in the food prepared. However, it is recommended that details of the mandatory 14 allergens are provided, as best practice. This will allow people with food allergies and intolerances to make safe food choices. Information about providing food at community events, including allergen information, is available on the FSA website on our ‘Providing food at community and charity events’ webpage.