The LMIV Explained Simply for Restaurateurs: Labelling Allergens Correctly

LMIV stands for Lebensmittelinformationsverordnung, the German name for the EU Food Information Regulation, Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011. It governs across the EU how guests and consumers must be informed about food. At its heart lies a simple goal: people should know what is in their meal before they decide to order.

• The information must be available before the purchase decision – that is, before the guest orders, not only when the dish is served.
• The details must be easily accessible, clear and legible.
• They must not be misleading and must correspond to the ingredients actually used.
• It particularly protects people with allergies and intolerances, for whom incorrect information can have health consequences.
• The regulation applies directly in all EU member states and is supplemented in Germany by national rules.

For food service, this means the LMIV is not bureaucracy for its own sake but is meant to let guests make an informed and safe choice. Those who internalise this usually meet the obligation almost in passing – while building trust with their guests at the same time.

The LMIV affects virtually every business that serves food and drink to guests: restaurants, cafés, snack bars, bakeries with seating, caterers, food trucks and delivery services. In food service, dishes are usually sold "loose", meaning not pre-packaged for the end consumer. For this loose goods a somewhat simplified obligation applies, with the focus on information about allergenic ingredients.

The 14 main allergens

• Cereals containing gluten (e.g. wheat, rye, barley, oats) as well as crustaceans and eggs.
• Fish, peanuts and soybeans and products made from them.
• Milk (including lactose) and tree nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts or walnuts.
• Celery, mustard, sesame seeds and sulphur dioxide and sulphites above certain levels.
• Lupin and molluscs such as mussels, snails or squid.
• The decisive list is the 14 allergen groups named in the LMIV; when in doubt, verify the exact list and thresholds from a reliable source.

The information is channel-independent: whether you use a printed menu, a table tent, your website or a QR menu, the allergens must be accessible wherever the guest informs themselves. Beyond allergens, further details often apply, for example certain additives that must be indicated separately.

For loose goods, the LMIV generally gives you two ways to inform guests about allergens. Both are accepted – what matters is that you choose one and implement it cleanly. Here is how to proceed step by step:

1. 1Option A – in writing: you state the allergens directly in writing, classically on the menu, a notice or a supplementary document at the table or counter.
2. 2Option B – orally with a notice: you inform orally through trained staff, but you must then display a clearly visible notice stating that information is provided on request.
3. 3With the oral option you additionally need written documentation that can be viewed at any time and on which the information is based.
4. 4Train your team so that the information is correct and consistent – oral information is only as good as the knowledge of the person giving it.
5. 5Keep your details up to date: if you change recipes or suppliers, immediately check whether the allergens have changed.

In practice the written option is often the more robust solution, because it works independently of whoever happens to be present and reduces misunderstandings. Which option suits your business depends on your menu, your team and your workflows.

Several misconceptions persist around the LMIV that cause uncertainty or unnecessary effort. The following points clear up the most common ones:

• "A notice alone is enough" – wrong: a notice only replaces the information in combination with genuine oral advice and suitable documentation.
• "Oral is easier" – not necessarily: oral information requires trained staff and a written basis available at all times.
• "The LMIV doesn't apply online" – it does: the obligation is channel-independent, so it also applies to your website, QR menu and delivery offers.
• "Only allergens count" – not quite: for loose goods, certain additives may also require labelling depending on the product.
• "Set up once, done" – no: with every recipe or supplier change the details must be reviewed and updated.

Knowing these points helps you avoid the typical pitfalls. When in doubt, it is better to clarify thoroughly once than to rely on an imprecise statement.

A digital menu makes the written option especially low-maintenance. With gastronomx you store allergens in a structured way directly on each dish, instead of managing them in footnotes or a pile of paper. Update a dish and the information is immediately visible everywhere – on the digital menu, in the QR menu and on your website.

Maintain allergens in a structured way instead of searching for them

In gastronomx you assign the relevant allergens to each dish. Because the detail is attached directly to the dish, your guests see it exactly where they make their decision – channel-independent and without anyone having to leaf through a folder at the counter. That matches precisely what the LMIV requires: information before ordering, easily accessible and clear.

Through the central backend you maintain your menu once and output it in multiple languages, so that international guests also understand the notices. Please note: this article offers general orientation and is not legal advice. The LMIV reflects EU and, in Germany, applicable law; when in doubt, clarify specific questions with the competent authority or qualified legal counsel.