The Critical Importance of Allergen Management: Lessons from Hannah Jacob's Tragic Story

The devastating death of Hannah Jacob in early 2023, following an anaphylactic shock from consuming cow's milk in a Costa hot chocolate, is a heartbreaking reminder of the crucial role that allergen policies and staff training play in the hospitality sector.

Assistant Coroner Dr. Shirley Radcliffe highlighted that the root cause of this tragedy was a failure to follow established processes for discussing allergies, coupled with a breakdown in communication between Hannah’s mother and the barista. While the barista had completed the allergy training required by Costa and SBR Trading Ltd, the incident underscores that training alone is not enough—effective communication and active testing of staff knowledge are equally vital.

Businesses have a responsibility to provide comprehensive allergen information to customers and to rigorously monitor food handling to ensure allergies are managed effectively during food and drink preparation.

With the high staff turnover in the hospitality industry, keeping up with training can be challenging. This tragic case emphasises the necessity of prioritising allergen management across all food and drink providers, including cafes, pubs, bars, coffee shops, restaurants, food-to-go services, and home delivery options.

Cases such as this reinforce the purpose behind Serve Legal’s Customer Experience Allergen Service. This bespoke audit program allows businesses to test their staff’s allergen management on the shop floor, offering nationwide coverage across the UK. This undercover and independent audit process provides an authentic stress test, testing staff knowledge and reporting on customer experience.

With fast turnaround times, detailed and accurate reports and best practice support from a dedicated client manager, a Serve Legal audit program is an essential tool for protecting customers and ensuring the highest standards of allergen management.

Serve Legal’s bespoke service provides a solution to the challenges faced by many businesses in the hospitality industry at the moment. To begin discussions with our team, GET IN TOUCH