Ecommerce website development for food businesses

Allergen information online

The Food Standards Agency's technical guidance for businesses providing prepacked food states that, for food sold by distance selling, mandatory allergen information must be available to the customer before the purchase is completed and at the moment of delivery. In practice, that means allergen information on each product page, presented clearly and consistently, and on the product or with it when it arrives.

Read the FSA guidance for the full requirements that apply to your products, and keep website information in step with recipes and labels whenever they change.

Food store features

Logistics to plan

Common food business models

• Local delivery or collection

  Postcode-limited delivery and collection slots.

• National ambient products

  Longer shelf life, standard parcel shipping.

• Chilled or fresh nationally

  Specialist packaging and carriers, restricted delivery days.

• Subscriptions and gifts

  Regular boxes and seasonal hampers.

How a food store is developed

1. 01

   Rules

   Delivery days, areas, cut-offs and packaging decided.

   Output: Fulfilment rules

2. 02

   Product information

   Ingredients and allergens structured for each product.

   Output: Compliant product data

3. 03

   Build

   Store, delivery selection and subscriptions set up.

   Output: Staging store

4. 04

   Test

   Orders for each delivery option and area tested.

   Output: Ready to sell

Keeping information current

Recipes and suppliers change. When they do, the allergen and ingredient information on the website must change at the same time as labels. A clear process, with one person responsible for approving product information updates, prevents the website showing outdated allergen details, which could put customers at risk.

Showing food at its best

Appetising, honest photography matters online, where customers cannot taste or see the product in person. Images should reflect the actual product and portion, with any serving suggestions labelled as such. Consistent lighting and backgrounds across the range make the store look professional and trustworthy.

Including weights, portion sizes and storage instructions alongside images helps customers know exactly what they are buying.

Cancellations and perishable goods

GOV.UK guidance on distance selling sets out customers' general right to cancel and notes exceptions, including food and drink supplied regularly. Rules for perishable goods should be checked carefully for your products, and your cancellation and returns information should state clearly how they apply.

Seasonal peaks

Food gifting peaks around holidays. Setting order caps per delivery day, clear last-order dates and enough packaging stock prevents over-committing production and disappointing customers.

Subscriptions and boxes

Regular boxes of coffee, baked goods, meal kits or specialist foods suit subscription selling. Customers value being able to skip, pause or change contents. Plan how subscriptions align with production days, how substitutions are handled and how allergen information is provided for changing box contents.

Local delivery and collection

For bakeries, delis and producers serving their area, postcode-limited delivery and collection slots can be added to the store, with capacity per slot to match what you can prepare.

Information with the delivery

Because allergen information must also be available at delivery, packaging and labels need to carry it for prepacked products. For non-prepacked items such as fresh bakes, plan how the information reaches customers with the order, for example a printed sheet, and check FSA guidance on what applies.