Prancing Pony Bakery
Allergen policy
The Prancing Pony Bakery
Allergen Policy
Last updated: 23 October 2026
1. Our Commitment to Food Safety
At The Prancing Pony Bakery, the safety and wellbeing of our customers are extremely important to us.
We take food allergies, intolerances and dietary requirements seriously and are committed to providing clear, accurate and accessible information about the ingredients used in our products.
As an independent home bakery specialising in handmade vegan biscuits and preserves, we follow established food hygiene practices and take reasonable precautions to minimise the risk of allergen cross-contact throughout preparation, baking, storage and packaging.
We understand that even small quantities of certain allergens can cause serious reactions. For this reason, we encourage customers with allergies or intolerances to review our product information carefully and contact us before ordering if they require further clarification.
2. Allergens in Our Products
Our biscuits are made using plant-based ingredients, including wheat flour, vegetable-based margarine, sugar and a variety of flavourings and spices.
Our wheat-flour biscuits contain WHEAT (GLUTEN).
Other allergens may be present in particular products or ingredients. Customers should therefore consult the individual ingredients and allergen information displayed on each product page.
In accordance with UK food information legislation, we recognise the following 14 regulated allergen categories:
Celery
Cereals containing gluten, including wheat, rye, barley and oats
Crustaceans
Eggs
Fish
Lupin
Milk
Molluscs
Mustard
Tree nuts, including almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios, Brazil nuts and macadamia nuts
Peanuts
Sesame
Soya
Sulphur dioxide and sulphites above the applicable legal threshold
Where any of these allergens are intentionally present as ingredients, they will be declared in accordance with applicable food labelling requirements.
We also recognise that customers may have allergies or intolerances to ingredients outside these 14 categories. Where possible, we will provide additional ingredient information upon request.
3. Vegan Products and Allergen Information
The Prancing Pony Bakery specialises in vegan baking.
Our vegan recipes do not intentionally include animal-derived ingredients such as dairy milk, butter, eggs or honey.
However, vegan does not automatically mean allergen-free.
Certain ingredients may be manufactured, processed or packaged in facilities that also handle allergens, including milk, nuts and other substances.
Consequently, a product described as vegan should not automatically be considered suitable for individuals with milk allergies or other food allergies.
We do not describe products as gluten-free, nut-free, milk-free or otherwise allergen-free unless the necessary controls and supporting information justify such a claim.
4. Nuts and Shared Preparation Areas
Although nuts are not intentionally included in all our products, almonds may occasionally be handled within our kitchen.
We recognise that the presence of nuts within a food preparation environment can present a risk of allergen cross-contact.
We take precautions to minimise this risk, including:
Keeping ingredients in appropriately labelled containers.
Separating ingredients where necessary.
Cleaning preparation surfaces and equipment thoroughly.
Following appropriate handwashing procedures.
Checking ingredient information before beginning production.
Assessing potential allergen risks associated with different products.
Despite these measures, our kitchen is not operated as a certified nut-free facility.
Customers with nut allergies should carefully review the allergen information for their chosen products and contact us before ordering if they require further information.
5. Ingredient Suppliers and Precautionary Warnings
We purchase ingredients from established suppliers and check their packaging and ingredient declarations.
Some ingredients used in our bakery may carry precautionary allergen statements indicating potential cross-contact during manufacturing or packaging.
For example, certain supplied ingredients may carry warnings relating to peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, milk, soya, celery, mustard or sulphites.
We review these warnings alongside our own preparation processes when assessing allergen risks.
Where an identified risk of unavoidable cross-contact remains, appropriate precautionary information will be provided to customers.
Such warnings may include statements beginning with "May contain...", followed by the specific relevant allergen or allergens.
We do not use precautionary statements as a substitute for safe ingredient handling, cleaning or allergen management.
6. Preventing Allergen Cross-Contact
We follow documented food hygiene procedures intended to minimise cross-contact between ingredients and products.
These include:
Ingredient storage
Ingredients are stored in sealed, appropriately identified containers. Allergen information is retained and reviewed when ingredients are replenished or changed.
Equipment and utensils
Mixing bowls, utensils, baking trays and preparation equipment are cleaned appropriately between uses. Equipment is inspected regularly to ensure it remains suitable for food preparation.
Work surfaces
Preparation areas are cleaned before and after baking, with particular attention paid to the removal of food residues.
Personal hygiene
Appropriate handwashing and personal hygiene procedures are followed throughout preparation and packaging.
Production planning
We consider the ingredients and allergen risks associated with each product when organising our baking activities.
Packaging
Products are packaged using suitable food-contact materials and handled carefully to reduce the risk of contamination.
Although these precautions help us manage risks, no absolute guarantee of freedom from allergen cross-contact can be provided for products that have not been specifically verified as allergen-free.
7. Product Labelling and Website Information
We aim to ensure that customers receive accurate allergen information before purchasing our products.
Each product listing will provide the relevant ingredients and allergen details.
Where a full ingredients list is required, regulated allergenic ingredients will be clearly emphasised, for example using bold text.
Products will also be supplied with the required allergen information at the point of delivery or collection.
We review our product information when recipes, suppliers or ingredient specifications change.
Customers should always check the information supplied with their order, even if they have purchased the same product previously.
8. Our Jam and Preserve Range
Our developing selection of fruit jams and preserves is prepared using plant-based ingredients.
These products may include fruits, sugars and other ingredients appropriate to the individual recipe.
Each jam or preserve will have its own ingredients and allergen information.
Although our fruit preserves may not intentionally contain some of the allergens associated with baked goods, customers should not assume that they are automatically free from all allergen cross-contact risks.
Any relevant risks identified during ingredient sourcing, preparation or packaging will be communicated in the