Ask about the requirement before choosing party sweets
Ask the guest, or their parent or carer, what they can and cannot eat and what arrangements they need. Use their specific requirement rather than translating it into a broad shopping term. A vegan preference and a milk allergy, for example, require different checks.
Keep a short planning note with the requirement, the exact product being considered, the person to ask and any unanswered question. Share only the information the person handling the food needs. Do not turn a blank box or an unanswered message into an assumption that no requirements apply.
Check each exact pack, including may-contain information
Review the complete current ingredient and allergen information for the selected flavour and format. On prepacked products, regulated allergens used as ingredients are highlighted within the ingredient list. Precautionary statements such as “may contain” address possible unintended allergen presence; they are not a different way of listing the recipe.
If information is missing or conflicts with the actual pack, stop that product’s selection for the affected requirement and contact the seller or manufacturer. Do not use the declaration for a similar flavour as a substitute. At HRS, missing information needed for an allergy decision means the order should not be completed for that person.
Vegan does not mean milk-allergy suitable
A vegan label concerns intentionally used animal-derived ingredients. It does not guarantee the absence of milk or other animal-derived allergens through cross-contamination. Check the allergen information even when the product has a vegan label.
For vegetarian, vegan or religious dietary requirements, establish what the guest needs and check relevant product information or certification. Do not infer suitability from the sweet’s name, colour, shape or lack of an obvious animal ingredient. This guide does not certify any product or decide a guest’s requirement for them.
Plan handling as well as the shopping list
The Food Standards Agency recommends preventing allergen cross-contamination, cleaning preparation surfaces and equipment, and washing hands. Taking an unsuitable sweet out of a mixed bowl is not a reliable way to make the remaining contents suitable for someone with an allergy.
Discuss the practical arrangement with the guest and whoever serves the food. Keep any separately selected products identifiable and preserve their original pack information. Decorative bags, bowls and signs must not obscure which exact product is being offered. A separate bowl on its own does not establish an allergen-free arrangement.
Check again at delivery and handover
Match the delivered product to your recorded choice and read the current label. If the flavour, pack or declaration has changed, raise that change before packing party bags or serving. Keep the current packaging available for questions rather than relying on an old screenshot.
Give the person handing out sweets the product identity, where the declaration is kept and who to contact about uncertainty. Avoid unagreed last-minute substitutions or extra decorations. If the requirements or handling arrangements cannot be confirmed, do not serve that selection to the affected guest.
What an HRS preference note can and cannot do
HRS builder preferences and avoids are packing instructions, not allergy controls or guarantees of an allergen-free box. Use the HRS allergen-information page for how declarations are provided and when to contact us before ordering.
For a catered event, discuss the requirements directly with the caterer or venue as well as the guest. This planning record does not replace their food-handling procedures or the individual guidance the guest already follows.