Article 15 of EU 1169/2011: which language allergen information must be in
By the Menulta editorial team · Facts checked 15 October 2026 · Updated 15 October 2026
The short answer
Article 15 of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 requires mandatory food information, including allergens, to appear in a language easily understood by consumers in the Member State where the food is marketed. Each Member State may require it in one or more of its official languages, and the information may also be given in several languages. The legal minimum is the national language requirement, but a restaurant serving tourists is only safe if allergic guests can understand the information.
The three paragraphs of Article 15
- 15(1): Mandatory food information must appear in a language easily understood by the consumers of the Member States where the food is marketed.
- 15(2): Within its own territory, a Member State may stipulate that the particulars be given in one or more of the official languages of the Union.
- 15(3): Paragraphs 1 and 2 do not stop the particulars from being given in several languages.
What 'easily understood' means for a restaurant
The test is the consumers in the country where the food is sold. In a single-language country, the national language normally satisfies it. In countries with more than one official language, such as Malta (Maltese and English), Belgium, Ireland or Luxembourg, national rules decide which languages are needed for which kinds of information.
The regulation sets a floor, not a ceiling. A restaurant whose allergen record is only in the local language meets the legal minimum, but a German, Polish or Chinese guest with a peanut allergy may not be able to read it. In tourist areas, the safety risk sits in the gap between the legal language and the languages your guests actually read.
Translation risks for allergen information
Allergen names are short, but translating them carelessly causes real errors. These are the common ones.
- Nuts: some languages use one word for all nuts and others distinguish tree nuts from peanuts. A translation that merges them can hide a peanut from a peanut-allergic guest.
- Celery: celeriac, celery stalk and celery seed may have different names. All are celery under Annex II.
- Molluscs and crustaceans: everyday words for 'shellfish' often cover both, but they are separate allergens and guests may be allergic to only one.
- Gluten and wheat: 'gluten-free' and 'wheat-free' are different claims, and some languages blur them.
- Local dish names: keep the original name, but always explain the ingredients in the guest's language rather than relying on the name.
Keeping translations accurate when recipes change
The biggest translation risk is not the first translation but the update. A printed menu in five languages is translated once, then a recipe changes and only the local-language version is corrected. The guest reading the English, German or Italian version sees an allergen record that no longer matches the dish.
The fix is to store allergens as structured data per dish rather than as translated text, and generate every language version from that single record. When the kitchen changes a recipe, one update changes every language at once. Digital and QR menus make this straightforward. With printed menus, it needs a strict routine of reprinting all languages together.
Staff communication
Article 15 covers written mandatory information, but most allergy conversations happen verbally. When staff and guest do not share a language, a guest-language written record on the guest's own phone or on a card is far safer than gestures or translation apps in the middle of service. Train staff to show the written allergen information rather than trying to explain it across a language barrier.
Which languages to prioritise
If you translate allergen information beyond the legal minimum, start with the languages your guests actually read. Booking data, reservation names, card payment origins and a simple tally by staff over a few busy weeks give a reliable picture. In tourist areas the list is often longer than expected, and a few languages usually cover most guests. Allergen information in a guest's own language is most useful exactly when a guest is least able to explain their needs in the local language.
Sources
This guide is general information, not medical or legal advice. Guests with an allergy should follow their doctor's advice. Operators should confirm their own setup with their food safety adviser or local authority.