The consequences of mismanaging dairy allergens have proven devastating, with recent years witnessing tragic fatalities linked to cross-contamination incidents.
A high-profile case involved a UK-wide burger chain where a customer with a severe dairy allergy died after consuming a meal containing dairy ingredients. The incident highlighted significant failures in staff training and cross-contamination protocols, underscoring the life-and-death stakes of effective allergen management.
It could be said that part of the issue lies in perception: dairy isn’t always treated with the same caution as more universally recognised allergens like nuts or soy. Coupled with societal trends toward veganism and lactose-free diets, there is more likely to be confusion among staff, who may mistake serious dairy allergies for lifestyle preferences. Whilst an honest mistake, this misunderstanding can have life-threatening consequences.
Serve Legal’s 2025 audit data highlights a worrying disparity in compliance rates across allergens. While sesame and nut allergies achieve impressive pass rates of 96–100%, dairy lags significantly at just 51% compliance.
In a recent audit, one auditor highlighted a serious mistake: despite disclosing a dairy allergy, they were served hot chocolate containing cow’s milk—a potentially life-threatening error. Comments from audits like this emphasise the critical importance of managing allergens with the utmost care and respect, both for customer safety and overall experience.
'I clearly stated during the audit that I was allergic to dairy. When I was handed my hot chocolate, I double checked to see whether the correct milk has been used and I was informed that cow's milk was added to my milk. The second server had to remake my drink even though I had clearly stated 2 or 3 times, that I had an allergy.'
'Sharon was very helpful and kind and explained how their allergen guide worked. She made sure that I got sorted and I was happy with my choices. The meal did take a very long time to prepare and I was waiting for over 25 minutes for it. I even heard Sharon say 'Right are you having a laugh?' to the kitchen staff when she realised how long overdue my order was.'
Staff were so helpful with explaining everything and the manager was very clear that I could have whatever I fancied even if it wasn't dairy free and they would tweak it to make it with dairy free ingredients. The table made the menu accessible for 10 different main allergies and I felt confident that the staff were doing everything they could to avoid cross contamination.
With 0.5% of UK adults (approximately 347,000 people) affected by milk allergies, according to Serve Legal partner Anaphylaxis UK, businesses are undoubtedly encountering customers with dairy allergies regularly. Every interaction presents an opportunity—and a responsibility—to ensure safety.
Improving dairy allergen compliance begins with awareness:
Serve Legal’s comprehensive and specialised allergen auditing programmes enable businesses to identify and address these challenges. By promoting awareness, offering rigorous checks, and providing detailed feedback, we empower companies to raise their compliance standards and protect their customers.
Serve Legal’s two decades of compliance auditing experience, nationwide coverage, and innovative data assets make us the ideal partner for ensuring your business meets its obligations while fostering customer trust. Access key resources HERE to get in touch with our team!