Owen's Law
Petition campaign of the year nominee
The Petition Campaign of the Year Award celebrates people who have used petitions to campaign for change.
The campaigners behind Owen's Law were nominated for the Award by the Petitions Committee.
The Carey family lost their brother and son Owen in 2017. He died due to an anaphylactic reaction after eating food at a restaurant, which he had been assured was safe to eat.
Their petition to change the law around allergy labelling in UK restaurants received 12,889 signatures. It was debated in Parliament with another petition calling for the appointment of an ‘allergy tsar’ in May 2023.
The family have campaigned tirelessly and worked closely with the FSA. The FSA met with the family and started research into the outcomes of implementing Owen’s Law. The family have also worked with restaurants on encouraging them to be ‘Owen’s Law compliant’.
In December 2023, the FSA announced that it was backing calls for Owen’s Law. Chairwoman Professor Jebb said that she would write to the relevant ministers across the UK about the matter.
"We’re delighted to be nominated for this award and are immensely grateful for the opportunity it provides to highlight and promote our campaign to change the law around food allergy labelling in the UK.
"The Parliamentary debate in May last year was really the pivotal point for our campaign. Since then progress has accelerated rapidly with the support of the MPs who spoke, and increased media attention.
"We are grateful that we now have the backing of the Food Standards Agency and with the final hurdle in sight to cement the changes in legislation, we have great hopes that Owen’s Law will be realised by the end of 2024. I think Owen would be immensely proud of his legacy."
"As Chair of the Petitions Committee, I have seen first-hand the incredible campaigning of these three groups of petitioners.
"The work that each of them put it into their campaigns, often beginning in times of grief, have led to positive changes across the country.
"I want to pay tribute to each of them and wish them luck."
Cat Smith MP
Chair of the Petitions Committee
The other nominees
Jade's Law
Suspend parental rights when a parent is found guilty of murdering the other parent
3 Dads Walking
Make suicide prevention a compulsory part of the school curriculum
3 Dads Walking won the Petition Campaign of the Year Award for 2023.
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