The festive season should be a time when everyone can enjoy great food together, regardless of allergies, intolerances or dietary requirements. That is why we are delighted to be supporting the 2026 Free From Christmas Awards, celebrating the brands and products making Christmas more inclusive.
The Free From Christmas Awards recognise and celebrate festive free from food and drink, shining a spotlight on the innovation, quality and variety now available to the free from and allergen community. Products do not have to be created specifically for Christmas, but they must be seasonally relevant and available for Christmas 2026.
Celebrating inclusive party food
This year, the Allergy & Free From Show is proud to sponsor the Party Food category, an area where innovation can make a real difference to people living with allergies and intolerances.
Shared dining occasions can still present challenges for the free from community. Christmas parties, family buffets and festive gatherings should not require someone with an allergy or intolerance to eat separately or miss out on the food everyone else is enjoying.
The Party Food category celebrates products helping to change that. From canapés and sharing bites to dips, crisps, crackers and seasonal savouries, the category is looking for delicious products that can help create a truly inclusive Christmas table.
Recent insights from the Free From Awards have highlighted the importance of shared dining, with consumers looking for safe and inclusive options that can be enjoyed by an entire group without compromising on taste.
For manufacturers, brands and NPD teams, this is an opportunity to showcase innovation and demonstrate how your products are helping remove barriers from festive occasions.
Who can enter?
Entries for the 2026 Free From Christmas Awards are now open and will close on 30 September 2026. Judging will take place from 5 to 9 October, with winners shared privately with entrants in mid October before the official announcement from 3pm on 3 November 2026.
To qualify for entry, products must:
- Be free from at least one of the top 14 UK listed major allergens, with no precautionary allergen labelling for the allergen or allergens specified in the free from claim. For example, a product cannot claim to be gluten free while carrying a may contain warning for gluten.
- Be commercially available nationwide in the run up to Christmas Day, 25 December 2026, whether through independent retailers, online retailers or a multiple retailer.
- Be available to purchase through a valid UK website, with the exception of retailers whose products are only available in store.
Why enter?
The Free From Christmas Awards provide brands with an opportunity to put their festive products in front of expert judging panels and benchmark them against some of the most exciting products in the sector.
Entries are assessed by panels of expert judges, with judging considering a range of factors within the context of free from, including taste, texture, visual appeal, ingredient quality, inclusivity, price point and technical execution.
Successful entrants can also make the most of their recognition during one of the most important retail periods of the year. Christmas Award results are shared privately with entrants before the public announcement, giving brands time to prepare marketing activity ahead of the festive season.
Key dates
Early entry discount closes: 31 August 2026
Entries close: 30 September 2026
Judging: 5 to 9 October 2026
Winners shared privately with entrants: Mid October 2026
Winners announced: 3 November 2026
If your brand is creating exciting free from products for Christmas 2026, now is the time to get involved.
Enter the 2026 Free From Christmas Awards and showcase how your brand is helping make festive food safer, more inclusive and more delicious for everyone.