Who must comply with Plain English Allergen Labelling (PEAL)?

From 25 February 2026, allergen labelling must use plain English and a standardised format.

Standard 1.2.3 of the Food Standards Code (amended February 2024 with a 3-year transition) requires allergens to be declared on packaged food in a standardised plain-English format including a 'Contains' statement, bolding requirements, and specific terminology. Applies to packaged foods sold in Australia and New Zealand.

Applies only if you supply packaged, labelled food. Whether it applies turns on a fact that no industry, structure or size settles on its own.

How the regulator frames it: Food manufacturers and suppliers of packaged food in Australia.

What triggers it: Manufacturing or supplying packaged food.

Jurisdiction: Commonwealth law, so the test is the same in every state and territory.

Outcome across the 35 industries Rules Mate maps (3 of 35: only if a further fact applies; 32 of 35: no).

Structure does not change the answer in the 3 industries it can reach: for every structure the answer is "only if a further fact applies".

Size does not change the answer in the 3 industries it can reach: at every size band the answer is "only if a further fact applies".

Each line is one run of the Rules Mate applicability engine for a single business profile, with the reason the engine gives:

• Pty Ltd company in real estate agents with 6–19 employees, turnover $1M–$3M: does not apply. Requires a trigger outside this questionnaire.
• Pty Ltd company in cafés & restaurants with 6–19 employees, turnover $1M–$3M: check whether it applies. applies only if you supply packaged, labelled food.

The engine shows this obligation as "check whether this applies" when a business has industry: Cafés & restaurants / Retail trade / Manufacturing. It then applies only if you supply packaged, labelled food. That fact is not something Rules Mate can infer from industry, structure or size.

When due

From 25 February 2026 — full compliance after 3-year transition.

Frequency

Ongoing

Evidence to keep

Updated labels, allergen risk assessments, supplier specifications.

In force from

25 February 2026

Status

Current

Priority

High

Maximum penalty: State-based fines + product recall obligations.

Rules Mate has not yet classified the audit or assurance level for this obligation. Any audit, review or certification requirement is set by the regulator source listed below.

• Appoint a certified Food Safety Supervisor (FSS): Food businesses serving ready-to-eat food must have a trained FSS reasonably available.
• Food Act state licensing + food safety supervisor: Food businesses must register + appoint Food Safety Supervisor under state Food Acts.
• Implement Food Safety Management Tool (Standard 3.2.2A): Category 1 food businesses must use a Food Safety Management Tool to verify critical controls.
• Implement Food Safety Program where prescribed (Standard 3.2.1): High-risk food businesses must implement a documented Food Safety Program audited by a recognised food safety auditor.

Rules Mate tracks 5 published obligations tagged "food safety", 0 of them rated critical. For a professional services Pty Ltd company with 6–19 employees operating in every state, 0 of those apply outright. This obligation is rated high priority, and is an ongoing duty.

Regulated by Food Standards Australia New Zealand and Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

FSANZ: Sets the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code — labelling, allergen, additive, and food safety standards.

ACCC: Competition and consumer regulator administering the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 and Australian Consumer Law, plus industry codes and infrastructure access regimes.

• Food Standards Australia New Zealand
• Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

Free tools that help with this obligation:

• Compliance calendar builder