Fines for Allergens in Restaurants 2026: From €100 to €600,000 and 5-Year Closure
The Regulations: What the Law Says Exactly
The obligation to inform about allergens in restaurants is not a recommendation: it has been law since 2014. Two legal texts form the framework that every hospitality professional in Spain must know:
Regulation (EU) 1169/2011
- Directly applicable European standard
- Mandatory since December 13, 2014
- Defines the 14 allergens that must be declared
- Applies to packaged and unpackaged foods (restaurants)
- Requires information before purchase
Royal Decree 126/2015 (Spain)
- National development of the European regulation
- In force since March 5, 2015
- Applies to bars, cafés, restaurants, canteens
- Obligation to have a written document available
- Mandatory training for staff
Who does the mandatory allergen menu apply to?
In summary: if you sell prepared food to the end consumer, you are obligated.
Fines for Allergens: What You Risk in 2026
Penalties for violating the allergen regulations in restaurants are graded into three levels based on severity. The General Law for the Defense of Consumers and Users establishes:
| Severity | Fine |
|---|---|
| Mild | 100 EUR - 5,000 EUR |
| Serious | 5,001 EUR - 20,000 EUR |
| Very Serious | 20,001 EUR - 600,000 EUR |
In addition to financial penalties, consequences may include:
- 1.Temporary closure of the establishment for a maximum of 5 years
- 2.Prohibition of receiving public aid during the sanction period
- 3.Civil liability for damages to the consumer (compensations)
- 4.Criminal liability if a customer suffers a severe allergic reaction due to negligence
AESAN Plan 2026-2030: Stricter Inspections
The Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) has published its new National Plan for Official Control of the Food Chain (PNCOCA) 2026-2030, which includes a specific allergen control program:
Program 2.5: Allergen Control (AESAN)
- Sampling and analysis directly in restaurants, hospitals, and communities
- Verification of the 14 substances from Annex II of Regulation 1169/2011
- Severe penalties and more thorough audits than in the previous period
- Extension to digital platforms: allergen information is also mandatory in online ordering apps
This means that inspectors no longer just check if you have an allergen menu hanging on the wall. Now they take physical samples of your dishes and analyze them to verify that the information you declare is correct. If your menu says “gluten-free” but the laboratory detects traces, the penalty is automatic.
5 Mistakes That Cause Fines (and that Your Restaurant Probably Commits)
1. Invisible gluten in batters and sauces
Wheat flour is used as a thickener in béchamel, gravy sauces, tempura, and croquettes. Many chefs do not declare it because “it is not a main ingredient.” Error: it is an allergen that must be declared regardless of the amount.
2. Hidden dairy in sauces that no one suspects
Butter in sautéed dishes, cream in “creamy” tomato sauces, grated parmesan on pasta. If your pizza base supplier uses whey, that counts too.
3. Sulfites in wines and vinegars that no one marks
All wine contains sulfites (more than 10 mg/kg). If you use wine in cooking (deglazing, sauces, risotto), you must declare sulfites. The same goes for balsamic vinegar and processed nuts.
4. Sesame in hamburger buns
Classic brioche buns contain sesame seeds that many restaurants forget to declare. If you change suppliers, the bread may contain (or stop containing) sesame without your knowledge.
5. Informing only “verbally” without a written document
Saying “ask the waiter” without having a document with allergen information is no longer valid since RD 126/2015. The restaurant must always have the information available in writing, whether on paper or digital.
The 14 Mandatory Allergens and Where They Hide
It is not enough to know the list. What causes fines is not detecting hidden allergens in secondary ingredients. Here you have each allergen with the most common “hiding places” in the kitchen:
Dónde se esconde: Salsas espesadas con harina, tempuras, pan rallado en albóndigas, pastillas de caldo, cerveza en adobos, obleas, embutidos.
Dónde se esconde: Caldo de marisco, paellas, pastas con salsa marinera, surimi, crema de nécoras, aceites aromatizados, pasta de gambas asiática.
Dónde se esconde: Mayonesa, rebozados, pastas al huevo, postres, salsas (holandesa, bearnesa), vinos clarificados con albúmina, baños para dar brillo a panes.
Dónde se esconde: Salsa Worcestershire (Perrins), salsa César, tapenade, caldos, gelatinas, sushi, surimi, salsa de pescado asiática.
Dónde se esconde: Salsas tailandesas, satay, currys, chocolates, galletas, aceites aromáticos, mantequilla de cacahuete en postres o marinados.
Dónde se esconde: Salsa de soja, edamame, tofu, pan para hamburguesas, carnes procesadas, atún enlatado, caldos industriales, margarinas, chocolates.
Dónde se esconde: Salsas (bechamel, roquefort), purés, cremas, postres, mantequilla para marcar carnes, queso rallado oculto, suero de leche en panes.
Dónde se esconde: Salsa pesto (piñones/nueces), romesco, ensaladas, postres, mazapanes, turrones, aceites de nuez, decoración de platos.
Dónde se esconde: Sopas, caldos, fondos oscuros, ensaladas, sal de apio, especias mixtas, zumos vegetales, kétchup.
Dónde se esconde: Salsas, aliños, marinadas, currys, carnes procesadas, perritos calientes, hamburguesas, mayonesas especiales.
Dónde se esconde: Pan de hamburguesa, hummus, tahini, sushi, ensaladas orientales, galletas saladas, falafel.
Dónde se esconde: Vino para cocinar, vinagres, frutos secos procesados, frutas desecadas (orejones, pasas), encurtidos, zumos comerciales, conservas.
Dónde se esconde: Harinas (mezcladas con trigo), panes, pastelería, aperitivos (los típicos chochos).
Dónde se esconde: Salsa de ostras, caldos de pescado, paellas, fideuás, surimi, croquetas de marisco, tintas de calamar.
How IAMenu Automatically Protects You
Manually reviewing 200 dishes for 14 allergens is a time-consuming task that no one wants to do and becomes outdated every time you change an ingredient. IAMenu solves this with Super Chef, an automatic detection system powered by artificial intelligence.
How Super Chef Works (in 30 seconds):
- 1You create or edit a product: “Pasta Carbonara” in the category “Pasta”
- 2The AI analyzes name + ingredients + category + culinary context (it knows that carbonara contains egg and cheese even if you don't write it)
- 3Automatically detects: Gluten (pasta), Eggs, Dairy (pecorino/parmesan)
- 4The allergen icons appear automatically in your digital menu and PDF
- 5If the AI is not sure, you correct. Your judgment always prevails
~95% Accuracy
Explicit allergens: pasta = gluten, cheese = dairy, shrimp = crustaceans
Culinary Context
Super Chef knows that “Pizza” implies gluten (dough) even if you don't write it. A normal system would not detect it
Extra Protection: 29 Automatic Languages
A German tourist does not read “Gluten” the same way a Spaniard does. With IAMenu, allergens are automatically translated into 29 languages, including Arabic, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean. The customer sees the allergens in their language, reducing the risk of misunderstandings.
Additionally, every time you change an ingredient or update a dish, the allergens are re-analyzed automatically. No more outdated allergen menus that were one of the main causes of penalties.
Quick Checklist: Is Your Restaurant Protected?
- Do you have the 14 allergens identified in EACH dish?
- Is the information accessible without asking (not just “ask the waiter”)?
- Do you update the allergens every time you change a recipe or supplier?
- Does your staff know how to answer questions about allergens?
- Do you have the information in the languages of your customers?
- Do you inform about allergens also in delivery and online platforms?
If you cannot check all, your restaurant is at risk of sanctions with the new AESAN Plan 2026-2030.
Protect Your Restaurant with Automatic Allergen Detection
IAMenu automatically detects the 14 mandatory allergens of the EU with Super Chef artificial intelligence. Translates into 29 languages. Compliance with Regulation 1169/2011 from day one.
14 days free, no credit card required. Set up your menu in less than 2 hours.