Case study: 'Shopping is a nightmare and we have to make everything at home'

The difficulties of living with peanut allergies and associated conditions are all too well known by the Martin family.

Mother Julie, 30, has suffered from a peanut allergy all her life. As a result, she has occasionally been sent into anaphylactic shock, requiring urgent hospital attention. Her two young children, Oliver, two, and eight-month-old Chloe, both struggle with allergic conditions: Oliver suffers from severe food allergies while little Chloe has eczema.

Mrs Martin, of Carnoustie, Angus, said: "We are well used to having to deal with all of this, but it is very hard and does require a lot of work. Shopping, for instance, is a nightmare as we have to check all food labelling, and we have to make everything at home.

"Allergy awareness has increased over recent years, but largely this results in the majority of labels stating 'may contain traces of nuts' to avoid the risk of legal action. We only buy meat at the butchers to make sure it doesn't have added proteins.

"If we want to have cake or any baking, this also has to be home-made."