Fourth, the leading software provider for hospitality and leisure businesses, has launched an in-depth report on allergens, following a significant industry engagement and insight project that brought operators, suppliers and key industry stakeholders together under a common goal.
The report was generated following a significant rise in the prevalence of food allergies over recent years, with peanut allergy recorded as having affected 0.4% of the population in 1997, more than tripling to affecting 1.4% of the population in 2008 , a figure that continues to grow.
Furthermore, the importance of establishing best practice and protecting those most vulnerable is laid bare by the fact that an estimated 39% of children have been diagnosed with an allergic disease, while approximately 6-8% have been diagnosed specifically with a food allergy.
The report, which includes contributions from Dr Helen Brough, consultant in paediatric allergy at St Thomas’ Hospital, as well as industry research, and findings from a sector roundtable discussion with 12 of the industry’s leading professionals in their field, including Kate Nicholls, CEO of UKHospitality; Leigh George, head of endorsements at Allergy UK; Rupi Zani, safety and wellbeing director at Pizza Express; Mark McCulloch, Supersonic, to name a few.
In addition, the report contains a detailed overview on the new Natasha’s Law legislation, which comes into force this October, establishing the roles and responsibilities of businesses to adhere to the new policy.
Dr Brough, said: “For hospitality operators, this is an intricate challenge with a number of different elements. In order to prevent fatal accidents from occurring, it requires clear communication and collaboration across all businesses to establish, cement and execute best practices. Studies, such as this report, demonstrate there is a real appetite and hunger from those within the eating and drinking out-of-home industries to tackle this challenge, and that brings much cause for optimism.”
Sebastien Sepierre, managing director EMEA, Fourth, said: “Over the course of the past year, the industry has been devastated by the Covid-19 pandemic. However, we have pulled together to tackle this unprecedented challenge, which is something to be truly proud of. As we cautiously look ahead to a restriction-free world, the importance of tackling the allergens challenge enters the fray once more, with the upcoming Natasha’s Law legislation reinforcing the immediacy and importance of the issue.”