Entry Criteria at a glance

To qualify for entry to the Free From Christmas Awards, all entries

must be free from at least one of the top 14 UK-listed major allergens with no precautionary allergen labelling for the allergen/s specified in the free from claim*
must be commercially available nationwide in the run up to and during Christmas 2024, i.e. sold through independent retailers, online or a multiple retailer.
must be available to buy from a valid UK website (except for in-store only retailers).

*e.g. product cannot claim to be gluten free and have a ‘may contain’ warning for gluten.

The full Awards Terms & Conditions can be found here.

By submitting an entry you are agreeing to our Terms & Conditions.

The Entry Process – enter here

Entry is open
Early bird 10% discount ends 18th August 2024
Entry closes midnight 20th September 2024

If you need any help with your entry, please email cressida@freefromfoodawards.co.uk

Please watch this short video for an entry walk-through.

First step – selecting categories and submitting entry information

Go to the Entry Page and read through the pre-entry checklist

Scroll down and select which categories you’d like to enter, and click ‘Process’ in the bottom righthand corner

Then either:

Create an account (option on the righthand side).
Log in to your existing account (option on the lefthand side).

Once in your account you will find your pre-selected entry form/s already in your Basket; please go ahead and fill in each entry form.

You can save each form for later, and come back to finish them off at a later date – the saved entry forms can be found in your account in ‘Saved’ on the lefthand side.

At the very bottom of each form you will be asked to confirm that you agree not to disclose whether your product has won a medal before the announcements of all winners at the Awards Presentation on November 4th 2024. See The Results Process below for detail.

Once you have finished the entry form/s click ‘Complete’ – at this point the cost for the entry will be added to your basket.

Second step – making payment

Please make payment via Stripe or Paypal using a debit card or credit card. You will receive a VAT invoice once payment has been made.

If you wish to pay another way, please click ‘Send me an invoice’. You will then receive your invoice by email. Please make sure to pay within 30 days.

Entry Fees – 10% discount on entries submitted by midnight 18th August 2024

Micro – turning over £0-£300,000 = £105+VAT per entry
Small – turning over £301,000- £3,000,000 = £150+VAT per entry
Large – turning over <£3,000,001 = £185+VAT per entry

You’re now entered into the Free From Christmas Awards!

Third step – sharing the news!

Click here for everything you need to share news of your entry, including:

Copy including press release, category detail, hashtags and social media handles
Free From Christmas Awards and Entrant logos – see usage guidelines at the bottom of the FAQs page

Logging in any time to edit or add more entries

You can see all your entries in your account. Head over to the top right of the website, and click on Account Logins. Select ‘Log in to Free From Christmas & Hallowe’en Awards’.

Once in your account, click on ‘Complete’ on the lefthand side where you will see all your entries.

The Judging Process

Below is an overview – Samples Delivery Details will be emailed out mid August, and added to the Entrant Area.

Head over to the top right of the website, and click on Account Logins. Select ‘Log in to Free From Christmas & Hallowe’en Awards’.

Once in your account, click on ‘Awards’ on the lefthand side, then ‘Shipping Instructions’.

Please take time to read carefully and schedule the necessary reminders for yourselves.

Judging dates Christmas Awards

All samples should be clearly marked either ‘Chilled’, ‘Frozen’ or ‘Ambient’.

You will need to make sure your chilled / fresh entries have a long enough shelf life to be within date at the point of consumption on the following dates:

Mon 7th October – Fri 11th October

Samples must arrive on time or you may forfeit your entry and fee – see small print below**.

Where should samples be sent?

Delivery address details will be added to the Samples Delivery Details document in the Entrant Area – details are also in your account.

Deliveries will be accepted from 8.30am to 4pm weekdays

How many samples should I send?

For judging, photography and promotion, we require approx four – six packs in the packaging they will be sold in, or with mock up supplied / emailed. If in doubt send extra: no food is ever wasted and leftovers go to our local food banks.

Anything else I need to know?

** it is up to you to get samples to us by the time/dates specified above. We cannot chase you individually. If your samples have not arrived by the time the judging of that category takes place, or if samples are no longer in date, you may forfeit your entry into the awards (including your entrance fee).

If you have any queries, please email cressida@freefromfoodawards.co.uk

The Judging Sessions

Our judging sessions are run with a carefully curated panel of 4 – 6 expert judges – read more about our wonderful judges!

Products are judged blind and are made up according to the instructions on pack – read more about the judging sessions.

Our judges will have access to the entry forms, and can read the mandatory fields you have filled in for each product, and can read any of the optional fields if you have provided extra information.

The Results Process

Once the judging sessions are finished and results are in, we will inform all medal winners of their success in advance of our Awards Presentation on November 4th. Results are embargoed until 9pm on November 4th, and you will have agreed to this when filling in your entry forms. This advance disclosure, made week commencing 9th October, is to allow entrants to make the most of their wins on packaging, in social media and on websites in the run up to Christmas, and this is unique to the Christmas Awards.

Logos will be available to download and are free to use on your product: see usage guidelines for details.

The Awards Presentation will take place on November 4th – details will be emailed to entrants and posted here nearer the time.