We’re often asked whether pet supplements need to follow the same allergen labelling rules as human food. The short answer is no - they don’t.


The strict allergen rules most people are familiar with (the 14 major allergens, bold formatting, “Contains” statements, precautionary warnings, etc.) apply to food for human consumption. They do not apply to complementary animal feed, including pet tablets and powders.


For UK pet supplements, the legal requirement is much simpler: ingredients must be declared accurately and transparently in the correct section of the label. That’s it. There is no mandatory allergen framework for pet products in the way there is for human food.


Where this becomes relevant is with ingredients such as glucosamine (which is commonly derived from crustaceans) or green-lipped mussel. In those cases, the source material should be clearly identified in the ingredient declaration - for example, “Glucosamine Sulphate 2KCl (crustaceans)” or “Green-lipped Mussel Powder (molluscs)”. Once the source is properly declared, the regulatory requirement is met.


There is no obligation to add a separate allergen box, no requirement to bold certain words, and no need to refer to the 14 allergens. Applying human food allergen formatting to pet supplements can actually create confusion, as it implies a legal requirement that does not exist for animal feed.


That said, some brands choose to include a simple voluntary statement such as “Contains crustaceans and molluscs.” This is allowed, provided it is accurate and not presented as a regulatory warning. It can be helpful from a customer service perspective, particularly where dogs are on elimination diets or have known sensitivities. However, it is a commercial choice rather than a compliance obligation.


In summary, for UK complementary pet feeds:

  • Accurate ingredient declaration is required.
  • A formal allergen statement is not.
  • Human food allergen rules do not apply.


As long as the ingredient list clearly identifies relevant source materials, the product is compliant.