The INCO Regulation and Food Service: Obligations, Implementation and Penalties

Hygiene & Compliance · November 4, 2025 · By Alex Dondelinger · 4 min read

The INCO Regulation and Food Service: Obligations, Implementation and Penalties

The INCO regulation (Information du Consommateur sur les denrées alimentaires, the EU Food Information to Consumers rules as applied in France; known in France as the “loi INCO”) has governed since 2014 how restaurateurs must inform their customers about the composition of the dishes they serve. It applies to all forms of food service and is a cornerstone of food transparency.

Who Is Affected by the INCO Regulation?

This regulation affects all food service professionals, whether they operate in:

commercial food service (restaurants, food trucks, caterers, bars, bakeries),
institutional catering (school canteens, company cafeterias, hospitals),
or accommodation establishments (hotels, retirement homes, holiday centers).

In other words, any organization that prepares and serves meals to consumers, whether dine-in or takeout, is subject to the INCO regulation.

What the INCO Regulation Covers

The INCO regulation requires restaurateurs to communicate several essential pieces of information about their dishes in a clear, legible and accessible way. It ensures food transparency and protects consumers against risks linked to allergens or poor nutritional information.

The Main Obligations to Comply With:

Indicate the complete list of allergens present in each dish, whether used directly or present as traces. • State the origin of meats (beef, pork, lamb, goat and poultry) served in prepared dishes. • Flag the presence of additives, preservatives or specific vegetable oils in recipes. • Provide transparent nutritional information for prepackaged or takeout dishes where the regulations require it.

The objective is twofold: to protect the consumer and to hold the restaurateur accountable for the quality and traceability of the food served.

INCO regulation food service

How to Implement the INCO Regulation in Your Business

Setting up compliant labeling requires rigorous organization and constant updating of the information.

Restaurateurs can follow three steps:

List ingredients and allergens: keep an up-to-date table of recipes, ingredients and suppliers.
Inform the customer clearly:

Either through visible display (menu, chalkboard, ordering kiosk, QR code);
Or through a document available on request (allergen booklet or sheet).

Train staff: every team member must be able to tell a customer whether an allergen is present or where a meat comes from.

Using a digital stock and recipe card management tool like Fullsoon makes this compliance much easier. By centralizing ingredient, supplier and recipe data, the platform can automatically identify allergens and update the display in real time whenever a dish or supplier changes.

The Risks of Non-Compliance

Failing to comply with the INCO regulation can have serious consequences: financial, administrative and reputational. Here are the three main risks every restaurateur should know.

💰 Financial Penalties

Up to €1,500 in fines per offense, and up to €3,000 for repeat offenses. These amounts can add up quickly.

⚠️ Administrative Closure

In case of a serious breach (unreported allergens), the DGCCRF (the French consumer protection and fraud control authority) can order a temporary closure of the business.

💬 Loss of Trust

A failure to provide information on dishes or allergens can damage the restaurant's reputation and lead to a lasting loss of customers.

Complying with the INCO regulation is not only an obligation, it is a mark of trust and professionalism. With digital tools like Fullsoon, compliance becomes simple, smooth and automated.

How to Become Compliant With the INCO Regulation

Compliance with the INCO regulation rests on a series of simple, structured steps. Follow this practical timeline to ensure clear, secure and compliant management of your customer information.

Identify Allergens

List all the ingredients and allergens in your recipes from supplier product sheets and centralize the data in a table or a tool like Fullsoon.

Inform Clearly

Display allergens on the menu, a chalkboard or a visible QR code. Customers must be able to access this information without having to ask for it.

Train Staff

Make the team aware of INCO best practices: knowing how to answer a customer, recognize an allergen and react in case of an incident.

Update the Data

Whenever a recipe or supplier changes, update your allergen sheets. Fullsoon automates this step by synchronizing recipe and stock data.

Check Regularly

Run a quarterly audit to verify your compliance. Digital tools make this tracking easier and secure traceability.

By following this progression, you ensure lasting compliance and greater transparency with your customers. With Fullsoon, compliance becomes smooth, automated and hassle-free.

Key Principles to Remember

All restaurateurs are affected by the INCO regulation.
Allergen labeling is mandatory and must be clear.
Data must be kept up to date whenever a recipe or supplier changes.
Penalties can be heavy, but tools like Fullsoon make compliance simple and continuous.

Article | Fullsoon Blog

{{ t.t0 }} / {{ article.categorie }}

{{ article.titre }}

{{ article.chapo }}

{{ t.label }}

{{ article.initiales }} {{ article.auteurNom }} {{ article.auteurPoste }} {{ article.date }} {{ article.duree }} {{ t.t9 }}

{{ article.alt }}

{{ t.t1 }}

{{ dataError }}

{{ r.texte }}{{ r.texte }}

{{ b.texte }}

{{ b.texte }}

{{ it.num }}

{{ r.texte }}

{{ c.texte }}

{{ r.texte }}

{{ q.question }}

{{ r.texte }}{{ r.texte }}

« {{ b.texte }} »

{{ b.auteur }}

{{ b.valeur }} {{ b.libelle }}

{{ b.alt }} — {{ b.legende }}

{{ t.t2 }}

{{ t.t3 }}

{{ t.t5 }}

{{ t.t6 }}

{{ a.alt }}

{{ a.categorie }}

{{ a.date }} · {{ a.duree }}

{{ a.titre }}

{{ a.resume }}