As the Country Range Group, we are committed to supporting the call for the appointment of an Allergy Tsar, an essential national role to address the rising challenges surrounding food allergies. Alongside our industry peers, we’ve signed an open letter urging the government to prioritise this issue, reflecting our long-standing partnership with the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation (NARF) and our deep commitment to protecting the millions affected by food allergies across the UK.
Backing the campaign for an Allergy Tsar
At Country Range Group, our members supply food to caterers in all sectors including schools, hospitals, and care homes—places where ensuring the safety of our products is absolutely vital. This responsibility drives our support for stronger national leadership on food allergies. The appointment of an Allergy Tsar would provide much-needed focus, helping to coordinate efforts across the food industry, healthcare, and education sectors, ensuring the necessary safeguards are in place to protect vulnerable individuals.
Our partnership with the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation (NARF) has already made significant strides in raising awareness and advancing the conversation around food allergy safety. NARF, established by Nadim and Tanya Ednan-Laperouse OBEs in memory of their daughter Natasha, who tragically died from an allergic reaction in 2016, works tirelessly to improve the lives of people living with allergies. Our collaboration with NARF amplifies their efforts to make food safety a national priority, but more needs to be done at the government level to create lasting change.
Appointing an Allergy Tsar would provide the leadership and coordination needed to address the complexity of food allergies. For businesses like ours, managing allergies is not only about compliance with regulations but about actively preventing harm to our customers. A dedicated Allergy Tsar would help ensure more effective communication between the NHS, food suppliers, schools, and parents, creating a comprehensive approach to allergy management that can save lives.
Proud to be one of the 20 leading food companies that have signed the letter
As the open letter signed by our Chief Executive, Martin Ward, highlights, more than 2.4 million adults now live with food allergies, and hospital admissions due to severe allergic reactions have tripled in the last two decades. Asthma deaths linked to allergies have surged by 33%, further underscoring the urgency of the situation.
With food allergies on the rise and affecting more families each year, the time for action is now. Through our partnership with NARF, we have seen first hand the devastating impact that food allergies can have, and we are determined to play our part in helping to prevent future tragedies. The appointment of an Allergy Tsar is a crucial step in achieving this.
At Country Range Group, we are proud to stand alongside NARF and other leading food businesses in urging the government to take action. We are not alone in this call. As one of the 20 leading food companies that have signed the letter, we are united with other businesses, charities, and healthcare professionals in urging the government to take action. Together, we can create a safer environment for the millions of people in the UK living with food allergies. Let’s not wait for more preventable tragedies to occur. It’s time to appoint an Allergy Tsar and ensure the care and safety of those who need it most.
