Allergen labeling rules 2026: how to display all 14 allergens correctly
Regulations, required display format and common mistakes in bakeries and pastry shops. The complete guide to staying compliant from 2026 onward.
What the INCO regulation requires in 2026
The European INCO regulation (EU No. 1169/2011) mandates consumer information on the composition of foodstuffs. For artisan bakeries, two main obligations apply:
- The 14 allergens must be disclosed for every product, including non-prepackaged items (sold from the display case).
- The sales denomination: "traditional French bread", "butter croissant", etc. must be accurate (no "croissant" if it contains margarine instead of butter).
French regulation requires that allergen information be accessible without having to ask for it: either through a sign displayed in front of each product, or through a clear reference to a document available on-site. Similar requirements exist across the EU and many other countries.
The 14 allergens: list and bakery examples
| Allergen | Common examples in bakeries |
|---|---|
| Gluten | Wheat, rye, barley and spelt flours |
| Milk | Butter, cream, milk powder |
| Eggs | Whole eggs, yolks, whites |
| Tree nuts | Almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, pistachios |
| Soy | Soy lecithin (chocolate, margarine) |
| Sesame | Sesame seeds (specialty breads) |
| Peanuts | Peanut oil, praline |
| Sulfites | Candied fruit, wine (in certain preparations) |
| Mustard | Sandwiches, quiches, savory preparations |
| Celery | Prepared foods |
| Fish | Savory preparations |
| Crustaceans | Prepared foods |
| Lupin | Lupin flour (additive) |
| Mollusks | Prepared foods |
Good to know
Cross-contamination risk must also be disclosed. If your production kitchen uses hazelnuts for some recipes, all your products may contain traces of tree nuts.
How to display allergens at the counter
Three formats are commonly accepted:
- Individual sign in front of each product, with allergens in bold or underlined. This is the clearest format for customers.
- Summary table displayed at the counter: a grid with products as rows and the 14 allergens as columns.
- Binder available on request with a visible sign ("Ask for our allergen document"). Less favored by inspectors but legal.
The recommended format in 2026: the summary table, updated whenever your product range changes.
The 5 most common mistakes
- Forgetting soy lecithin present in couverture chocolate.
- Not flagging traces when the same mixer is used for walnut bread and plain white bread.
- Outdated display after a supplier change (new flour containing soy, for example).
- Incorrect denominations: labeling something "pure butter croissant" when part of the fat is vegetable-based.
- Hidden information: the binder is under the counter and nobody offers it proactively.
Automating allergen disclosure
The real difficulty is not creating the display once, it is keeping it up to date. Every time you change an ingredient or a supplier, the allergen list may change.
The solution: software that links each recipe to its ingredients and automatically displays the allergens. When you change an ingredient, the display updates instantly.
Good to know
LogiBake automatically generates the allergen table from your recipes. Change an ingredient, and the allergens are recalculated instantly.
LogiBake does not replace your expertise.
It gives you the tools to make the most of it.