Nearly three-quarters of hospitality businesses still reliant on manual allergen management processes: survey

This is said to translate to employees’ lack of confidence in relaying allergen information to customers.

Nearly three-quarters of hospitality businesses were still reliant on manual allergen management processes, a new survey has revealed.

Hospitality consultancy firm Access Hospitality noted that despite the availability of technologies streamlining allergen handling procedures, six out of ten businesses are still using pieces of paper to relay allergen information to customers, whilst only 14% are using hand-held devices to convey such information.

The firm claimed this translated to employees’ lack of confidence in delivering allergen information to customers, as fewer than half (47%) said they are “very confident” that they can communicate this information clearly with customers.

“[W]hen they [hospitality professionals] have so little confidence in allergen management processes and what they do share with customers, they are placed in a stressful position as well as, potentially, compromising the well-being of those customers,” managing director Henry Seddon said about the results.

“Your customers, partners, and both local and national authorities, will expect you to keep customers safe in a world where more and more emphasis is being placed on cutting waste and promoting sustainability, UKHospitality chief executive Kate Nicholls added.

The survey also noted that allergen information is automatically updated in only 44% of businesses.

Moreover, it was revealed that 59% of operators are electing to cost their food menus using manual techniques and 57% are similarly managing waste manually.

Further, it showed that almost six in ten are uninformed of how much food waste their businesses are generating, whilst 15% said they do not have processes in place to measure waste.