Allergen & Dietary Policy

Effective Date: 1 January 2026 · Version 1.0 · Applies To: Food and Beverage Merchants

This policy sets out the mandatory allergen declaration and dietary labelling obligations for all Merchants that publish food or beverage menus on the Vyete Platform ("Food Merchants"). Compliance is a safety obligation, not a preference. Inaccurate allergen or dietary information can cause serious harm to Customers with allergies, intolerances, or religious dietary requirements.

1. Mandatory Allergen Declarations

Food Merchants must declare the presence of the following major allergens in each individual menu item where applicable:

| Allergen | Notes | |---|---| | Gluten (wheat, rye, barley) | Including flour, bread, pasta, couscous, beer-based sauces | | Crustaceans | Prawns, crabs, lobster, crayfish | | Eggs | Including egg-based sauces (mayonnaise, hollandaise) | | Fish | Including fish-based stocks and sauces | | Peanuts | Including groundnut oil and peanut-based sauces | | Soybeans | Including soy sauce, tofu, miso, edamame | | Milk / Dairy | Including butter, cream, cheese, lactose, whey | | Tree nuts | Almonds, cashews, walnuts, macadamia, pistachios (specify which) | | Sesame | Including tahini, sesame oil, sesame seeds | | Sulphites / Sulphur dioxide | Typically in dried fruits, wine-based sauces (where > 10 mg/kg) |

1.1 Declaration Level

Allergen declarations must be made at item level — meaning each individual dish or product must carry its own allergen information. Declaring allergens only at shop level (e.g., a blanket notice that "this kitchen uses nuts") is not sufficient.

1.2 "May Contain" Advisories

"May contain traces of…" advisory warnings are permitted in addition to but not as a substitute for allergen declarations. Where cross-contamination is a genuine risk due to shared equipment or kitchen space, an advisory must be displayed alongside the allergen declaration.

1.3 Allergen Inquiry Response

Customers may submit allergen or ingredient queries through the in-app messaging system before placing an order. You must respond to allergen queries within 15 minutes during operating hours. Failure to respond within 15 minutes gives the Customer the right to cancel the order without charge.

2. Dietary Labels

You may optionally apply the following standardised dietary labels to menu items, subject to accuracy:

| Label | Definition and Requirements | |---|---| | Vegetarian | Contains no meat, poultry, or seafood | | Vegan | Contains no animal products (including dairy, eggs, honey) | | Halal | Prepared in accordance with Islamic dietary law; you must be able to produce a valid Halal certification on request | | Kosher | Prepared in accordance with Jewish dietary law; you must be able to produce a valid Kosher certification on request | | Gluten-Free | Contains no gluten-containing ingredients; cross-contamination advisory must be displayed if kitchen equipment is shared | | Nut-Free | Prepared in a nut-free environment; if full nut-free environment cannot be guaranteed, the label must not be used |

2.1 Accuracy Obligation

Applying dietary labels inaccurately is a severe policy violation that may cause harm to Customers with allergies or religious dietary requirements. Vyete treats inaccurate allergen or dietary labelling as grounds for immediate listing suspension and possible account termination.

3. Special Dietary Preparation

Food Merchants offering Halal, Kosher, vegan, or allergen-free options must maintain documented procedures for preventing cross-contamination. Requirements:

• Separate utensils and equipment must be used where the dietary promise requires it.
• Where a fully separate preparation area cannot be guaranteed, the listing must carry a clear cross-contamination advisory.
• Failure to maintain advertised preparation standards (e.g., preparing a "nut-free" item in a shared nut-present kitchen without disclosure) constitutes misrepresentation and is grounds for immediate suspension.

4. Liability

You are solely responsible for the accuracy of allergen and dietary information on your menu. Vyete is a marketplace intermediary and does not verify the nutritional or allergen content of individual menu items. Customers rely on your declarations when making ordering decisions.

Where a Customer suffers an allergic reaction, food poisoning, or harm attributable to inaccurate allergen or dietary information, Vyete may:

• Suspend the affected menu items or your entire menu pending investigation.
• Require you to cooperate fully with any investigation.
• Report the incident to the relevant county health authority.
• Recover any losses incurred by Vyete as a result of your inaccuracy.

5. Reporting an Allergic Reaction

If you become aware of a Customer reporting an allergic reaction attributable to one of your menu items:

1. Notify Vyete at [email protected] within 4 hours of becoming aware.
2. Preserve ingredient records and batch information for the order.
3. Report to the relevant county health authority where required by law.
4. Cooperate fully with Vyete's investigation.

Refer also to the Food Safety Standards policy for broader food safety obligations.