Imagine buying a bright yellow Squid Game honeycomb candy for your child, only to discover it contains unlisted nuts or dairy ingredients that could trigger a life-threatening allergic reaction. This isn’t a dystopian game show twist; it’s happening right now on TikTok Shop. A BBC investigation has uncovered multiple UK food sellers on the platform failing to disclose critical allergen information, putting vulnerable consumers in grave danger.
For allergy sufferers like Kate Lancaster’s children who both react to milk this isn’t just inconvenient. It’s terrifying. “Failing to provide ingredient information is potentially very dangerous,” says Lancaster, who advocates as The Dairy Free Mum on TikTok. “It feels like a complete disregard for safety”.
What the BBC Uncovered
The BBC found alarming examples of mislabeled or unlabeled food products on TikTok Shop:
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Mega Buy UK sold Squid Game-inspired sweets while listing ingredients and allergens as “not applicable” despite the treats containing multiple ingredients.
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The Nashville Burger offered a burger kit containing milk (a top allergen) and wheat, yet listed allergens vaguely as “spices” and ingredients only as “flour.
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UK Snack Supply advertised lollipops and crisps with no ingredient or allergy details at all.
While TikTok removed these specific listings after the BBC flagged them, all three sellers remain active on TikTok Shop still without providing full allergen transparency on other products.
Why This Breaks the Law
In the UK, food businesses must legally declare if products contain any of the 14 major allergens, including milk, eggs, nuts, and wheat. This isn’t optional. Rules known as “Natasha’s Law” named after Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, who died from an unlabeled sesame allergen in a baguette require full ingredient labeling on pre-packaged foods.
For online sales, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) mandates allergen information at two critical points: in the product description and on the packaging. As Dr. James Cooper of the FSA states: “Wherever people buy their food, it needs to be safe and what it says it is”. TikTok Shop’s system currently allows sellers to bypass these rules entirely.
TikTok’s Weak Safeguards
Despite TikTok’s claim that it’s “committed to providing a safe and trustworthy shopping experience,” the platform has no enforced mechanism requiring sellers to disclose allergens. Sellers can freely list foods without ingredient details, leaving allergy sufferers to gamble with their health.
Simon Williams, CEO of Anaphylaxis UK, minced no words: “If the ingredient and allergen information isn’t there, don’t buy it. You’re putting your life in grave danger.” He argues TikTok must do more: “They’re putting people at risk”.
Real Lives, Real Fear
For families like Kate Lancaster’s, the stakes couldn’t be higher. “The thought of someone with a food allergy buying items they assume are safe is scary,” she says. While labeling has improved in physical stores since Natasha’s Law, TikTok Shop’s loopholes create “frightening” gaps in protection.
Tanya Ednan-Laperouse, Natasha’s mother, demands accountability: “TikTok should ensure all UK food sellers meet legislative requirements. Any that don’t should be immediately removed”.
Regulatory Gaps and Platform Power
The problem extends beyond TikTok. Jersey recently delayed its own stricter allergen labeling laws due to staffing shortages, highlighting how regulatory enforcement lags behind e-commerce growth. Meanwhile, TikTok profits from sellers capitalizing on viral food trends like Squid Game sweets or “Dubai chocolate” without ensuring basic safety standards.
The Path Forward
Solutions exist if TikTok acts:
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Mandatory allergen fields: Sellers should be required to disclose allergens before listing food, with clear warnings for incomplete listings.
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Seller verification: Confirm businesses are registered with local authorities, as UK law demands.
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Proactive monitoring: Scan for high-risk terms like “homemade snacks” or viral food items and flag listings without labels.
As Williams stresses, the ultimate responsibility lies with sellers—but platforms enabling them must step up: “There’s a lot of people making a lot of money… but they’re putting people at risk”.
The Bottom Line
TikTok Shop’s food marketplace is booming, but its safety standards are stuck in 2010. Until the platform enforces the same rules that govern physical stores, allergy sufferers will keep playing a deadly game of chance where the stakes are invisible until it’s too late.
For families affected by food allergies, experts advise: Never purchase food on TikTok Shop unless full ingredients and allergens are listed. Report unlabeled products to the FSA and Anaphylaxis UK.
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