AN ALLERGY campaigner has welcomed plans to make food allergen labelling a legal requirement in Jersey – but called for further legislative changes to allow schools to hold spare EpiPens for emergencies.
Jersey Food Allergy Group founder Dominic Jones said he was “delighted” with the draft legislation published this week as part of a public consultation.
Feedback will help to finalise the proposed secondary legislation under the Food Law, which is due to be presented to the States Assembly for debate in early 2026.
The proposed regulations include mandatory allergen labelling, updated food hygiene rules, and a licensing scheme for food businesses.
If approved, food allergen labelling will be a legal requirement in the island for the first time and bring Jersey in line with UK and EU labelling standards.
The changes will apply to pre-packed food, food pre-packed for direct sale such as sandwiches made and packed on-site, non-pre-packed food such as restaurant meals, and distance selling such as online or phone orders.
Some informal or charitable events such as school cake sales will be exempt from licensing and labelling requirements.
Mr Jones said: “Generally we are delighted with the proposed legislation and would like to thank Deputy Steve Luce and all his officers who have worked so hard in putting this important food allergy legislation in place.
“It will make Jersey a safer and more welcoming place for the many people suffering from food allergies.”
However, he urged the government to make further legislative changes to allow schools to hold spare adrenaline auto-injectors for use on children with serious allergies in emergencies.
Mr Jones explained: “We hope the Health Department will now also act to change the law to allow schools and other educational and leisure establishments to hold spare auto adrenalin injectors (EpiPens) which is currently illegal in Jersey.
“This is not the case in the UK and elsewhere in the world where many schools and other establishments hold spare auto adrenalin injectors and they have saved many lives.”
The UK changed the law in October 2017 to allow all schools to buy spare adrenaline auto-injectors for use on children with serious allergies in emergencies.
It followed the death of 13-year-old dairy allergy sufferer Karanbir Cheema, who died after having a severe reaction at his school in London when another student flicked a piece of cheese at him, triggering his dairy allergy.
His own EpiPen was out of date – and did not work when it was administered.
Since then, campaigners have called for it to be made mandatory for schools to carry spares and have this extended to places like restaurants.
In Jersey, parents of children with allergies need to supply an EpiPen which can only be used for the named child.
