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The sweeping changes, three years in the making, will affect large swathes of the food and catering industries.

The focus in Slovenia has been on the requirement that food allergens be clearly labelled in restaurants and even schools and kindergartens.

Allergens in all food items must be displayed either on menus or on at least one visible display.

Food companies have welcomed the rules as a step in the right direction in term of consumer awareness of food origin.

However, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GZS) has said some requirements were unclear and would probably have to be modified based on practical experience.

The Chamber of Craft Trades and Small Business (OZS) meanwhile warns that bars and restaurants need additional time to adjust.

Indeed, the OZS questions the sensibility of imposing the measure given that patrons order food realising full well what it contains.

One source of ill temper is that the rules will also apply to kindergartens, which means their menus will have to name the allergens.

The problem, as one kindergarten nutritionist wrote in an op-ed this week, is that compliance is nonsensical since the children cannot read anyway.

Children with allergies already get special food based on doctor recommendations and the new rules will simply ensure compliance for the sake of compliance.