Oral information
A notice such as “ask our staff about allergens” is allowed only if the information also exists in written documentation that is easily available to customers and inspectors.
Allergen rules for restaurants in Italy.
Allergen information for food served in restaurants is mandatory and must be given before the food is served, linked to each dish. It can be on the menu, in an allergen register, on a sign or in an equivalent digital system backed by written documentation.
- Legal basis
- D.Lgs. 231/2017, article 19 (sanctions in article 23)
- Enforced by
- Ministry of Health and local health authorities (ASL)
- Written information
- Required (menu, register, sign or digital)
- Oral information
- Only with written documentation
What you need to do
- Give the 14 allergens for each dish before it is served.
- Use the menu, an allergen register, a sign (such as a blackboard) or an equivalent system, which may be digital.
- A digital system must be backed by written documentation that customers and the authority can easily access.
- A notice may tell customers to ask staff, but the staff’s answers must also exist in written documentation.
QR code menus
Digital systems are allowed, but they must be backed by written documentation that customers and the authority can easily access. Keep a printed allergen sheet or register on the premises.
Calories
There is no general rule requiring calories on restaurant menus in Italy.
Penalties
Omitting allergen information: €3,000 to €24,000. Giving it in a non-compliant way: €1,000 to €8,000 (€500 to €4,000 if the problem is only formal). Reductions are possible for microenterprises and early payment.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Rules change and local authorities may interpret them differently; check with your food authority. Last checked: October 2026.
With Menuvola
Written allergen information, kept in sync.
Menuvola doesn’t replace your food authority’s guidance for Italy, but it gives you the written, dish-by-dish information most rules expect, in every format.
- 14 allergens per dishIngredients, allergens and calories are required for every item; incomplete items stay in draft.
- Printed allergen sheetPrint an A4 or A3 allergen and calorie sheet from the same data for guests who can’t or don’t want to scan.
- QR menu with a noticeTable cards and the printed menu carry a notice that allergen information is available.
- Suggestions, not guessesAs you type ingredients, the panel suggests possible allergens (e.g. “butter” → milk); you confirm them.
- Four languagesMenus and printed documents in English, German, Russian and Turkish.
- kcal and kJA calorie calculator built on an ingredient database, shown per portion.
Questions you may have.
Can staff give allergen information orally in Italy?
A notice such as “ask our staff about allergens” is allowed only if the information also exists in written documentation that is easily available to customers and inspectors.
Is a QR code menu enough in Italy?
Digital systems are allowed, but they must be backed by written documentation that customers and the authority can easily access. Keep a printed allergen sheet or register on the premises.
Do restaurants in Italy have to show calories?
There is no general rule requiring calories on restaurant menus in Italy.
What are the penalties?
Omitting allergen information: €3,000 to €24,000. Giving it in a non-compliant way: €1,000 to €8,000 (€500 to €4,000 if the problem is only formal). Reductions are possible for microenterprises and early payment.
Try Menuvola free for 14 days.
Set up your menu, print your allergen sheet and see how it works for your business. No card needed.
