PEAL Deadline Has Passed: What You Need to Do Now

The transition period for PEAL compliance ended on 25 February 2026. If your food labels haven't been updated to meet the new Plain English Allergen Labelling requirements, your products are now technically non-compliant. Here's what that means and what you need to do right now.

First, don't panic — but do act quickly. Food regulators in each state and territory are aware that some businesses, particularly smaller operations, may still be working through their compliance updates. However, this grace is not unlimited, and enforcement activity is expected to ramp up in the coming months.

Step 1: Audit your current labels. Go through every product you sell and check whether your allergen declarations use plain English terms as required by PEAL. Look at both your ingredient lists and your 'Contains:' statements. Are allergens bold? Are they using the correct plain English names?

Step 2: Prioritise your highest-risk products. If you sell products containing multiple allergens, or products where allergens might not be obvious to consumers, update these labels first. Products sold directly to consumers with known allergy concerns (like 'free-from' ranges) should be top priority.

Step 3: Update your labels systematically. Don't try to fix everything at once if you have a large product range. Work through your products methodically, starting with the highest-risk items. Our PEAL Compliance Kit provides a structured workflow for exactly this process.

Step 4: Keep records of your compliance work. Document when each label was reviewed and updated. This demonstrates good faith to regulators and shows that you're actively working toward full compliance, even if you haven't finished updating every single SKU.

Step 5: Consider professional help. If you're overwhelmed or unsure whether your updated labels actually meet PEAL requirements, our Quick Label Check ($49 per label) gives you expert feedback within 24 hours. For businesses with larger product ranges, our tiered compliance kits provide everything you need.

The most important thing right now is momentum. Every day your labels remain non-compliant is another day your consumers are at risk and your business is exposed. Start today, even if you can only update one label at a time.